The conceptual metaphor "life as a journey" is one of the most fundamental cognitive tools for understanding human experiences, widely used in artistic and literary works, including cinema. This study examines the linguistic signs of this metaphor and the related image schemas—such as movement, volume, and power—in three prominent films by Abbas Kiarostami: "Where Is the Friend’s Home?," "Life and Nothing More," and "Through the Olive Trees." Based on Lakoff and Johnson's conceptual metaphor theory (1980), metaphorical mappings such as destination, path, obstacles, companions, guides, return, and wandering are identified in each film, and the role of these cognitive patterns in the narrative structure and visual composition of the films is explored. Analysis of the films’ linguistic texts reveals that the metaphor "life as a journey" is present not only in the story structure and character development but also manifests deeply and influentially in visual elements, atmosphere, and dialogues. Furthermore, the frequent use of the movement schema in comparison to volume and power schemas in the selected films highlights the employment of physical movement and action as a cinematic and metaphorical language for searching for meaning, confronting reality, and traversing crises. It places the viewer in a multidimensional experience of time and space characterized by suspense and uncertainty, reflecting Kiarostami’s philosophical and aesthetic approach to narrative and cinema. This process actively engages the audience in interpreting the narrative and connecting with realism, inviting them to reflect on fundamental issues such as love, death, reconstruction, and the search for meaning.