Five Dedicated to Ozu

Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami's simple yet evocative films such as BADKONAKE SEFID (THE WHITE BALLOON) owe much to the influential Japanese filmmaker Yasujiro Ozu. FIVE DEDICATED TO OZU, Kiarostami's homage to Ozu's sparse cinematic style, comprises five short sequences filmed with a hand-held camera and centered on a nautical theme. There is no narrative or mise-en-sc?ne as such here and the emphasis is put on an observational filmic vision. The camera follows a piece of driftwood swept around by the waves, people strolling along a promenade, a group of dogs gathering by the water, and ducks walking back and forth on the beach. Kiarostami's slow-paced minimalist art-house film offers a poetic take on the unfolding cycle of nature. Minimize