TEHRAN -- A retrospective of works by Iranian filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami will be held at the forthcoming Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) running from October 6 to 15.

A selection of nine films including “Where Is the Friend’s Home?” (1987), “Life Goes On” (1992) and “Under the Olive Trees” (1994) will be shown during the retrospective.

The retrospective will be accompanied by a forum on his life and works in which his son, Ahmad, will participate along with other Iranian filmmakers attending the festival this year.

The Palme d’Or winning director of “Taste of Cherry”, who passed away on July 4, had a “close relationship” with BIFF, executive programmer Kim Ji-seok told Screen Daily on Monday.

“He came to the festival several times, the first being for our second edition in 1997. He was head of the New Currents jury in 2005 and the dean of the Asian Film Academy in 2010. After we opened the Busan Cinema Center, he came and held a workshop that was open to the general public, Kiarostami’s Film School,” said Kim.

“From the outside, he looked like a solemn philosopher, but actually when you talked with him he was like a warm neighborhood uncle. I remember how much he loved the galbi and bulgogi [two kinds of Korean barbecue] here and sent several gifts over the years including originals of his photographs, a photograph collection and, for some reason, a cardigan to me,” added Kim.

In addition, Abbas Kiarostami will be named Asian Filmmaker of the Year at the festival and his son Ahmad will accept the award on his behalf at the BIFF opening ceremony on October 6.

RM/YAW