"Education ill-suited to children is a general problem that confirms the world in general is ill, because we spend the best moments of our childhood in the worst situations." Abbas Kiarostami

Born in Teheran in 1940, Abbas Kiarostami left school early to dedicate himself to his passion: drawing and painting. While working the night shift as a clerk, he took a painting course at the Faculty of Arts. He began his professional life as a cover and poster illustrator, before directing more than 150 commercials which taught him the medium of filmmaking.

He set up within the Kanun (the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults) a movie department. His first short films show a particular interest for the world of children, which also permeates his first features, The Passenger or Where is my Friend's House?

His movies started to gain praise at international festivals, and Where is My Friend's House? was a winner at Locarno. Abbas Kiarostami's cinema then evolved towards a more social and humanistic approach that parallels the issues of freedom in his country.

In 1997, he received the UNESCO Fellini Gold Medal for his achievements in film, freedom, peace and tolerance. The highlight of his career came in 1998 when the Cannes Film Festival gave its Palme d'Or to A Taste of Cherry, a film that follows its main character's quest for the meaning of life. Wind Will Carry Us, which further explores the "Signs and Wonders" of life, won the Grand Prize at the Mostra da Venezia in 1999.

The international recognition of Abbas Kiarostami's work testifies to the intrinsic value of his cinema, which has long since gone beyond the frontiers of his country to achieve a truly universal status.

Abbas Kiarostami will be presented with the Akira Kurosawa Lifetime Achievement Award at the San Francisco International Film Festival starting on 20 April.