Where Is My Friend's House? (film)

Where Is the Friend’s House? (Persian: Khane-ye doust kodjast?) is a dramatic, family-themed film written and directed by Iranian filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami in 1987. The film centers on eight-year-old Ahmed, who accidentally takes his friend’s notebook and embarks on a journey to return it. Starring Ahmed Ahmed Poor and Mohammad Reza NematZadeh, the film has received international acclaim for its minimalist storytelling and authentic performances.

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Where Is the Friend’s House? begins when eight-year-old Ahmed accidentally takes the notebook of his classmate Mohammad Reza NematZadeh. When the teacher threatens to expel students who fail to write their homework in their notebooks, Ahmed decides to return the notebook to prevent his friend from being punished. However, not knowing the exact location of Mohammad Reza’s village, Ahmed sets out for the village of Pousteh. Through this journey, the film presents, with simple yet powerful storytelling, the resilience of a young child and offers insights into the social fabric of rural Iran and the world of children.

^{A Scene from the Film (}IMDb⁾

The central theme of Where Is the Friend’s House? is conscience, responsibility, and friendship. The film places at its core the sense of duty a young boy feels toward his friend, and explores values such as honesty and sincerity in human relationships through a simple narrative. Ahmed’s determination and perseverance in returning the notebook present to the viewer the importance of ethical behavior and empathy from a child’s perspective. At the same time, the film illustrates how individual moral attitudes are shaped within a broader social context, using an everyday incident as its lens.

• Ahmed – Babek Ahmed Poor: The protagonist of the film. He accidentally takes his friend’s notebook and undertakes a difficult journey to return it.
• Mohammad Reza NematZadeh – Ahmed Ahmed Poor: Ahmed’s classmate, who faces expulsion for losing his notebook.
• Teacher (Muallim) – Hodabakhsh Defaei (also known as Kheda Barech Defai): A strict and rule-bound teacher who threatens to punish students who do not write their homework in their notebooks.
• Mother (Madar) – Iran Outari: Ahmed’s mother. She is occupied with daily household chores and does not fully understand her son’s concerns.
• Father – Ait Ansari: Ahmed’s father. He does not take his son’s efforts seriously and displays an authoritarian attitude.
• Ali (A Neighbor) – Biman Muafi: A villager who tries to help Ahmed when he asks for directions.
• Friend of the Grandfather – Ali Jemali: An elderly man who appears as a figure offering advice in the film.
• Waiter – Aziz Babai: One of the minor characters Ahmed encounters during his journey.
• Landowner (Kharidar-e Dar) – Nadir Gulami: One of the people Ahmed interacts with; appears briefly.
• Azerbaijani Elderly Man (Piremard-e Azari) – Ekber Muradi: An older man who tries to guide Ahmed on his journey.
• Murtaza – Mohammad Reza Parvaneh: One of the children Ahmed meets during his journey.
• Apple Seller – Hager Faraz Fakir: One of the vendors Ahmed encounters along the way.

The film earned a total worldwide gross of 14,413 US dollars. This figure is consistent with its low budget and limited international distribution. The film is distinguished not by commercial success but by critical acclaim and artistic merit.

• Bronze Leopard Award – Abbas Kiarostami
• FIPRESCI Prize – Special Mention – Abbas Kiarostami
• Ecumenical Jury Prize – Special Mention – Abbas Kiarostami

• Golden Plate – Best Director – Abbas Kiarostami
• Jury Special Prize – Abbas Kiarostami

• Golden Leopard Award – Best Film – Abbas Kiarostami

• Golden Plate – Best Screenplay – Abbas Kiarostami
• Golden Plate – Best Film – Abbas Kiarostami
• Golden Plate – Best Cinematography – Farhad Saba