Where’s the Friend’s House? – Khane-ye doust kodjast? (1987)

Directed by: Abbas Kiarostami | 83 minutes | drama, family | Actors: Babek Ahmed Poor, Ahmed Ahmed Poor, Kheda Barech Defai, Iran Outari, Ait Ansari, Sadika Taohidi, Ali Djamali

For children, a small village can be the whole world. This also applies to eight-year-old Ahmed (Babek Ahmed Poor) who lives in a shabby village in Iran. The adults are busy with their daily activities and try to make the best of their simple lives. Ahmed has a different kind of problem; he accidentally took his classmate Mohamed Reza (Ahmed Ahmed Poor)’s notebook from school. At first glance, this doesn’t seem like a disaster, but the forgetful Mohamed Reza can be suspended by his teacher if he doesn’t do his homework the next day. Ahmed has an afternoon to complete his little adventure.

That ‘Where Is the Friend’s House?’ having a very basic plot doesn’t mean it’s a boring movie. Time is ticking for Ahmed, leading to a small but constant tension. Ahmed does not see the poverty in which he lives because he is still a child. This playful way of thinking ensures that the tone of the film is not sad, but rather has a fairytale atmosphere. It is touching to see how concerned Ahmed is about his boyfriend, who is probably at home stressed. Unfortunately, Ahmed does not know where that house is. By addressing different adults, he comes one step closer. Whenever he thinks he knows he’s found it, looks can be deceiving. For example, somewhere in a random backyard hangs a pair of brown pants that Mohamed Reza was wearing. Unfortunately, the pants belong to another boy, so Ahmed’s search begins all over again. This kind of confusion happens a few more times in the film and each time Ahmed falls for it again.

The ‘journey’ that Ahmed has to make seems a lot bigger because of a large sand hill. The village where Mohamed Reza lives is located behind this hill. For an adult it is the most normal thing in the world to get over this, but for a child it is a big job. Director Kiarostami shows that he is a master at discovering the beauty of the Iranian countryside. The golden ramp is central to the story for overcoming obstacles for Ahmed. Even though he is a small boy who is not taken seriously by his older villagers, he does not give up.

Not much happens in ‘Where Is the Friend’s House?’. It’s a simple story that carries with it a touch of nostalgia. Everyone remembers the simple problems of a child from his or her childhood. Kiarostami takes us back to the good old days when we were young and the world was so small.