Asian Filmmaker award posthumously for Abbas Kiarostami at Busan

New Delhi: Late Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami has been selected for the Asian Filmmaker of the Year Award at the Busan International Film Festival beginning October 6.

The 21st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) has selected Kiarostami, who passed away on July 4 at the age of 76, for the award which is given to Asian cineastes or organisations that have shown the most outstanding contribution to developing the Asian film industry and culture, a release said.

Honoring his monumental achievements in cinema, the BIFF 2016 has decided to give the Asian Filmmaker of the Year Award to Kiarostami, it said. The award will be presented to the late filmmaker's son Ahmad Kiarostami during the opening ceremony of BIFF 2016.

Kiarostami was one of the most influential directors in the world and debuted as a filmmaker with his short film 'The Bread and Alley' (1970). Pursuing innovative film aesthetics into the early 21st century, he was invited to the 2nd Busan International Film Festival with his work, 'The Taste of Cherry' (1997).'

Developing a continuous friendship with BIFF, he participated in the festival as the head of the New Currents jurors in 2005 and as Dean of Asian Film Academy (AFA) in BIFF 2010.

Showing his special support and affection towards Asian film students, the late director Kiarostami also participated in a workshop, "Kiarostami's Film School", held by the Busan Cinema Center in 2012.

This year, Busan Festival will introduce his major works by screening nine films he directed. Additionally, a special forum will be held during BIFF 2016. An in-depth discourse about the late Kiarostami's cinematic world will also be held during the "Asian Writer Research Forum" hosted by BIFF and Pusan National University's film institute.