Hyperreal: Taste of Cherry
Details
Bleak, beautiful, and quietly devastating, Abbas Kiarostami’s Taste of Cherry lands at Hyperreal Film Club as part of the worldwide "Bleak Week: Cinema of Despair" festival — and it’s your chance to sit with one of the most soul-searching films ever made on the big screen.
The vitals:
- 7:00 – Doors
- 7:30 – Screening of Taste of Cherry
Curated alongside The Paramount Theatre, this Austin edition of Bleak Week brings a trio of modern classics to town: Aftersun, Perfect Blue, and finally Taste of Cherry at HFC. Think of it as a cinematic mixtape of existential dread, lingering melancholy, and the strange, stubborn pull of being alive.
In Taste of Cherry, Kiarostami follows a man driving the outskirts of Tehran, searching for someone willing to help him carry out a disturbingly simple plan. It’s minimalist, meditative, and loaded with questions about meaning, faith, and whether any of us really want to disappear as much as we say we do. It’s the kind of movie that feels quiet in the moment and then stays in your head for weeks.
Hyperreal’s intimate, cinephile-friendly vibe makes it perfect for this sort of slow-burn emotional experience. Expect a crowd that actually wants to talk about the movie afterward — to argue about the ending, compare favorite moments, and trade theories about what Kiarostami is really saying.
Why you’ll want to be there:
- A rare big-screen experience of a Cannes-winning classic that shaped modern art cinema
- Part of a global festival dedicated to bold, uncompromising films about despair and empathy
- Ideal for fans of slow cinema, philosophical drama, and movies that don’t hand you easy answers
- A moody weeknight hang with fellow film obsessives, wrapped in existential questions and great conversation
If your idea of a good time is wrestling with life, death, and everything in between — all in under two hours — Hyperreal: Taste of Cherry is the Bleak Week stop you do not want to miss.
Venue Details
Step into the cinematic wonderland of Hyperreal Film Club where movies come alive in the most thrilling ways!
This isn't your average theater—it's a pop-up paradise specializing in unique, immersive movie-watching experiences in thoughtful environments that transport you right into the story. They amplify local artists and host a whirlwind of events, from cult classics like Beverly Hills Cop and Nosferatu with live scores to fresh indie gems, short film showcases, filmmaker Q&As, and wild nights like soundtrack karaoke or music video parties.
- Catch screenings Monday through Friday packed with surprises!
- Discover zones featuring hidden treasures like Kamikaze Hearts or City Wide Fever.
- Join special series highlighting Black women directors, trans stories, or Hong Kong heartbreak melodramas.
- Tonight's vibe? A music video party or best-of shorts—pure Austin film magic!
Skip the multiplex and dive into cinema for the people—your next favorite film adventure awaits at Hyperreal!