The nature and application of nonverbal communication in Abbas Kiarostami's cinema

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Philosophy of Art, Faculty of Law, Theology and Political Sciences, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Iran

2 Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Persian Language and Foreign Languages, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Iran.

3 Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Persian Language and Foreign Languages, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Iran.

10.22034/scart.2025.142992.1671

Abstract

Abbas Kiarostami, the author-filmmaker, has deeply addressed the concepts of communication and language in his works. The efforts of his subjects to establish communication and mutual understanding are a prominent feature of his films, and his emphasis on images rather than words is remarkable. Walter Benjamin’s theory of language, which considers language to be pure and immediate in facilitating communication and considers the role of images and pictures in communication to be sometimes more important than words, can be an effective tool for reflecting on Kiarostami’s cinema. This research seeks to answer the question of whether there is a relationship between Benjamin’s views and Kiarostami’s cinema on language? The aim of this study is to pay attention to the similarities in language between Benjamin’s views and Kiarostami’s films and to find traces of them in his cinematic perspective. The research method in this study is hermeneutic-interpretive reflection. The results of the research indicate that Benjaminian concepts on language are represented in Kiarostami’s cinematic works. Kiarostami often emphasizes the importance of the non-verbal aspects of language by using little dialogue and meaningful silences throughout his films; one notable example is Shirin, which is entirely image-based and has no words. This and other cases clearly align with Benjamin's theory of language. Ultimately, however, examining these similarities does not confirm Kiarostami's definitive modeling of Benjamin, and their existence could be a coincidence.

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Main Subjects

Sociology of Culture and Art

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 05 September 2025

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