The Colours: A Film by Abbas Kiarostami

As a child, have you ever stared in wonder at the colours around you, noticing how they brighten your world? The Colours (1976), directed by Abbas Kiarostami, captures just that. Filmed just three years before the Islamic Revolution in Iran, it showcases the power of simple visual storytelling to engage young audiences and nurture their curiosity about the world.

The Colours (1976) directed by Abbas Kiarostami

This film invites viewers to see the world of colour from a child’s perspective. It introduces us to the fun and wonder of experiencing the variety of tones and shades in all the colours of the rainbow. The Colours uses a simple palette to demonstrate a wide range of hues. What may seem like a simple act of cleaning a paintbrush becomes the most anticipated moment, keeping the audience engaged and wondering, ‘What colour will they choose next?’ The film illustrates where colours can be found in daily life, incorporating the naіvety and curiosity of childhood. From healthy foods to useful man-made objects, from cute animals to the symbolism of traffic lights the film cleverly integrates these everyday elements to highlight the omnipresence of colour in our surroundings.

Imagination is central to The Colours - it’s what gives the film its provocative edge. As the boy waits for the green light, he imagines a race, which comes to signify the rebellion and drive of the colour red. Crossing on red is forbidden, but so is pausing when your imagination is already in motion. Likewise, guns are forbidden, but in the child’s imagination, nothing is. He shoots out of curiosity. He sees every colour, notices every detail - red, green, yellow, blue, orange, white, and even purple. But what would happen if he mixes them all? So he does!

Black is revealed as the final colour - one of inquisitiveness and learning. It encourages us to see beyond the surface, embrace the unknown and challenge the unquestioned.

The Colours accomplishes what it sets out to do: it sparks creativity and drives its audience to enjoy interactive learning, see the beauty of colour and notice every detail, even if it’s as small as a figurine on a clock. Colour is essential to human experience - it brings meaning, sparks joy, and transforms the ordinary into something extraordinary.

The Colours