Taste of Cherry

Badii, a middle-aged man, drives through the bustling streets of Tehran. He is on a quest to find someone who will assist him with a deeply personal and grim task.

As he navigates the city, Badii picks up several candidates for help. He shares with them his intention to end his life, offering a significant sum of money for assistance.

Badii's first potential recruit is a young and timid Kurdish soldier. Overwhelmed by the heavy conversation about suicide, the soldier quickly abandons Badii's car in fear.

Next, Badii approaches an Afghan seminarist who initially listens but ultimately turns away. He cites his religious beliefs, which strongly oppose acts of suicide.

Badii meets Abdolrahman Bagheri, an Azeri taxidermist struggling financially due to his sick child. Despite his reservations, Bagheri reluctantly agrees to help Badii.

As they converse, Bagheri recounts his own past battle with suicidal thoughts in 1960. He shares how a moment of joy from tasting mulberries changed his perspective on life.

Bagheri passionately argues for the beauty of existence, highlighting the wonders of life, from sunrises to the stars. He offers to gently bury Badii if he has truly taken his life.

As they reach Bagheri's workplace, Badii realizes he wants a contingency plan. He requests that if he's asleep and not dead, Bagheri should throw a few stones at him to confirm.

As night falls, Badii lays down in the grave he has dug for himself, surrounded by darkness. A powerful thunderstorm rumbles above him, adding to the tension of his decision.

After a tense period of uncertainty, the scene cuts to black, leaving Badii’s fate ambiguous. The viewers are left hanging in suspense regarding his ultimate decision to live or die.

The film concludes with behind-the-scenes camcorder footage showing director Kiarostami and his crew. This unexpected twist breaks the fourth wall, adding a meta-narrative layer to the story.