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Abbas Kiarostami To Lead Talks At This Year’s Kustendorf Film Festival

While this year’s Sundance Film Festival may ultimately take the majority of early year festival buzz, it’s the fourth annual Kustendorf Film Festival that also has one hell of a lineup.

According to Variety, Criterion staple Abbas Kiarostami (Taste Of Cherry, Close-Up) will be bringing his latest film and rumored Criterion Collection addition Certified Copy to the festival.   He joins Russia’s Nikita Mikhalkov (Burnt By The Sun 2 ‘“ Exodus), Erik Poppe (Troubled Water), and Gael Garcia Bernal (the short film omnibus Revolucion).

The festival starts with Czech Peace, directed by Filip Remunda and Vit Klusak.   Started by Arizona Dream helmer Emir Kusturica, the festival was created to help filmmakers find their ‘film language.’ With workshops led by people like Jim Jarmusch, the festival offers one of the more unique experiences for young filmmakers.   Both Kusturica and Kiarostami will be leading talks this year.

The festival runs until January 11.   Now if only I could afford to go to Serbia.   This sounds like an absolute must-attend event.

Head over to the Kustendorf homepage to see some pictures of the director at the festival.

Source: Variety

Joshua Brunsting

Josh is a critic, a member of the Online Film Critics Society, a wrestling nerd, a hip-hop head, a father, a cinephile and a man looking to make his stamp on the world, one word at a time.