Between 2006 and 2011, Iranian film director Abbas Kiarostami - author of three books of original verse - released his selections from and adaptations of four masters of Persian poetry: Nima (1895 - 1960), Hafez, Saadi and Rumi (all from the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries). This material is presented to English-speaking readers for the first time, in eight volumes: Nima’s Water, Hafez’s Wine, Saadi’s Tears and Rumi’s Fire. In 2015, Kiarostami published two further books, the dual anthology entitled Night, his selections from a variety of classical and contemporary poets.

Hafez, who wrote in the fourteenth century, is regarded as the most important lyric poet in Persian history. His work remains beloved and celebrated by Iranians today, who know him as The Tongue of the Hidden.

Abbas Kiarostami is one of Iran’s leading filmmakers who has also published several books of photographs and poetry.