Reflections of existential philosophy on cinema: Abbas Kiarostami movies

This study aims to examine the reflections of existential philosophy in the art of cinema through Abbas Kiarostami's film aesthetics. The subject-centered philosophical dimensions of existence are addressed particularly around fundamental concepts such as the individual's search for meaning, death, freedom, loneliness, and alienation. Departing from the idea that cinema can be regarded not only as a narrative form but also as an aesthetic instrument of philosophical thought, Kiarostami's films Taste of Cherry (1997), Close-Up (1990), and The Wind Will Carry Us (1999) are analyzed in the context of the cinematic representations of existential philosophy, thereby revealing their strong connection to existential thinkers. The study employs a qualitative research method, combining thematic analysis with a phenomenological approach. The films are examined by focusing on the characters' inner experiences, their relationship with time and space, and the narrative plane established with the audience. Each film is evaluated both thematically and formally through selected scenes. In the process of analysis, Albert Camus's concept of the absurd, Jean-Paul Sartre's understanding of freedom and responsibility, and Martin Heidegger's notion of being and being-toward-death have constituted the philosophical foundation of the interpretation. Moreover, Kiarostami's open narrative structure, which leaves meaning to the viewer, has been evaluated in light of Umberto Eco's theory of the "open work." The openness of the films to interpretation is considered as an aesthetic approach that enables the viewer to actively participate in the process of meaning-making. In the analyzed films, it has been observed that the characters are directed toward existential questioning through silence, stasis, and a non-plot-centered narrative structure. In this regard, Kiarostami's cinema emerges as an aesthetic manifestation of existential philosophy not only thematically but also formally. The visual metaphors, narrative gaps, and interpretive spaces left to the viewer reinforce the phenomenological cinematic experience and encourage philosophical inquiry into the individual's position in the world. In conclusion, this thesis seeks to make visible the relationship between cinema and philosophy as an intellectual field, while striving to apprehend the essence of human existence aesthetically through Kiarostami's directorial language.