Acting
Babek Ahmed Poor
Babak Ahmadpoor, born in 1979 (or 1358 in the Persian calendar) in the village of Koker, Rudbar County, Gilan Province, Iran, is a notable figure in Iranian cinema, best recognized for his role as Ahmed Ahmadpour in Abbas Kiarostami's acclaimed film *Where Is the Friend’s Home?*. This film is hailed as one of the masterpieces of both Iranian and international cinema. Babak, alongside his brother, Ahmad Ahmadpoor, who portrayed his best friend Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh, stepped into the limelight without any prior acting experience. Their upbringing was devoid of media exposure; Babak later reminisced, “We had never seen television or a camera, and did not even know what film was.”
In late 1986, Kiarostami visited Koker and chose Babak and his brother for leading roles in his film, a process they described as surreal. They delivered Kiarostami’s lines without understanding the larger significance of their performance, which contributed to the film's authentic feel and resonance with audiences.
Both brothers also made brief appearances in Kiarostami's final film of the Koker Trilogy, *Through the Olive Trees*. Furthermore, they were featured in the 2018 documentary *Tree of Life*, where they shared their experiences, providing insight into their unique journey in cinema.
