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Close-Up

Nema-ye Nazdik

Iran

1990

98 Min
Color
1.33:1
Persian
  • Currently 4.4/5 Stars.
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DIR Abbas Kiarostami

SCR Abbas Kiarostami

DP Ali Reza Zarrindast

CAST Hosein Sabzian, Hassan Farazmand, Mehrdad Ahankhah, Houshang Shamai, Mohsen Makhmalbaf

ED Abbas Kiarostami

MUSIC Kambiz Roushanavan

Synopsis

“A frustrated young film-buff, who had been posing as Mohsen Makhmalbaf, gets arrested”.

These headlines in Tehran daily papers was coupled with the following story: “The accused passing himself off as the celebrated film director, entered the life of a well-to-do family with the ostensible intention of wanting to make a film with their participation. All this has apparently been an excuse for exploring the family house and planning for burglary which was forestalled with the man’s arrest.”

The news provided Kiarostami with the basic idea for a semi-documentary film entitled “Close-up”. Kiarostami visited the accused in prison, contacted people at the judiciary department and obtained permission to shoot the court proceedings. He set up two cameras at the court: one with wide-angle lens to record the trial, and the other one with a close-up lens to probe into the psychological truth of the case.

Director

Original

Abbas Kiarostami

Abbas Kiarostami was born in Tehran, Iran, in 1940. He graduated from university with a degree in fine arts before starting work as a graphic designer. He then joined the Center for Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults, where he started a film section, and this started his career as a filmmaker at the age of 30. Since then he has made many movies and has become one of the most important figures in contemporary Iranian film. He is also a major figure in the arts world, and has had numerous gallery exhibitions of his photography, short films and poetry. He is an iconic figure for what he has done, and he has achieved it all by believing in the arts and the creativity of his mind. —World Cinema Foundation 

Wall

Displaying 4 of 44 wall posts.
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Shelley

19Jun13

A stark portrayal of the connection films make between people, and how personally these connections affect people. I was very surprised at the documentary-style-bluntness of this film, but it works. I thoroughly enjoyed the realness of this film, especially since the characters all play themselves. While not aesthetically stimulating, "Close-Up" will stimulate your mind and make you reflect on your cinematic emotions

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Haridas B

13Jun13

A review or may be some writing inspired by Close-up: http://harianddas.weebly.com/1/post/2013/06/close-up-abbas-kiarostami.html

Picture of j.o.s.é

j.o.s.é

12Jun13

A touching and sometimes comical tale about a poor, alienated man who attempts to escape his circumstances by pretending to be someone respected. Was this also implicitly giving us a glimpse of Iranian society at the time?

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sewslow

27Apr13

Of course a film about a man going to great lengths to imitate a filmmaker that he has never met would be one of the most convincing faux-documentaries ever made.

nicole Fouzas likes this

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Articles

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Abbas Kiarostami's CLOSE-UP Blu-Ray Review

By Twitchfilm.com on May 17, 2011
The DVD and Blu-Ray of Abbas Kiarastomi’s 1990 film Close-up serendipitously follows the premiere of his latest work, Certified Copy, at Cannes in 2010. Close-up is a subtle, complex film that demands
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Abbas Kiarostami's CLOSE-UP Blu-Ray Review

By Twitchfilm.net on June 19, 2010
The DVD and Blu-Ray of Abbas Kiarastomi’s 1990 film Close-up serendipitously follows the premiere of his latest work, Certified Copy, at Cannes in 2010. Close-up is a subtle, complex film that demands
read on Twitchfilm.net

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Reviews

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Close-up

By Adam Suraf on August 22, 2010
In a remarkably complex bit of stunt film-making, Iranian master Abbas Kiarostami re-stages the trial of Hossain Sabzian, a poor worker who passes himself off as a famous film director for seemingly unknown…

I want to be someone else or I'll explode

By All Is Grace on March 5, 2010

How can I describe this masterpiece? I’ve spent so much time in my life till now, watching different movies from different countries, never thought I would be moved by a film from my very own region…  read review

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