Close-Up

Kiarostami was a man who believed cinema is life and it’s even more apparent here. The lines between documentary and film are blurred. On paper, this seems weaker than his other masterpiece, Taste of Cherry. But this movie does what no other movie has ever done. I won’t spoil the details, and I highly encourage you to watch this without knowing too much. Close Up is a profound look at human connection, but more importantly, about cinema and its effect on people. The last ten minutes of the film had such a deep, emotional effect on me that I cannot properly express in words. The only thing I can say is, like most Iranian films, I cried, laughed, and then cried some more. “Do you prefer being Makhmalbaf or Sabzian?”