Austria awarded Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami the Austrian Decoration for Science and Art. The medal was established in 1960 to honor international figures for their outstanding achievements in the fields of science and arts.

During a ceremony held in Vienna Iranian director Kiarostami, molecular biologist Barbara Hohn and mathematician Bruno Buchberger received the Cross of Honor for Science and Art from Austria’s President, Heinz Fischer. Austrian poet Friederike Mayröcker received a Decoration of Honor for Services to the Republic of Austria.

Iranian film director Abbas Kiarostami receiving his Cross of Honor from Austria’s President Heinz Fischer – Photo credit: Peter Lechner/HBF Ceremony in Vienna, October 2014 – Photo credit: Peter Lechner/HBF

Abbas Kiarostami was born in 1940 in Tehran and is one of the most important and famous Iranian film directors. The filmmaker was awarded in 1984 with the Golden Leopard in Locarno for “Where is the house of my friend?”. In 1997 he received the Palme d’Or in Cannes for “Taste of Cherry”, and the 1999 Grand Jury Prize in Venice for “The Wind Will Carry Us”. He is also a photographer, poet, painter and has staged operas. He has been decorated with several state medals, including France’s Chevalier of the Legion of Honor.

Sources: Tehran Times, bundespraesident.at (in German)