Close-Up

"A real-life situation based on a real incident in actual locations with actual people involved."

1990 1h 38m FA

🙌

8.0

BANGER

★8.0TMDB · 467

CrimeDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

This fiction-documentary hybrid uses a sensational real-life event—the arrest of a young man on charges that he fraudulently impersonated the well-known filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf—as the basis for a stunning, multilayered investigation into movies, identity, artistic creation, and existence, in which the real people from the case play themselves.

“A real-life situation based on a real incident in actual locations with actual people involved.”

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Where to watch · US

Cast

Hossain Sabzian
Self
Monoochehr Ahankhah
Self
Mahrokh Ahankhah
Self
Abolfazl Ahankhah
Self
Mehrdad Ahankhah
Self
Nayer Mohseni Zonoozi
Self
Hossain Farazmand
Reporter
Ahmad Reza Moayed Mohseni
Family Friend

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Abbas Kiarostami
Writers: Abbas Kiarostami
Languages: Azerbaijani, Persian
Countries: Iran

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

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Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

36 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Azerbaijani, Persian.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Abbas Kiarostami, shot by Ali Reza Zarrindast. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Abbas Kiarostami shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Hossain Sabzian and Monoochehr Ahankhah and Mahrokh Ahankhah carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "A real-life situation based on a real incident in actual locations with actual people involved.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0100234 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Abbas Kiarostami directs. Ali Reza Zarrindast behind the camera. Abbas Kiarostami cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Iran. Dialogue in Azerbaijani, Persian.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

136 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Azerbaijani, Persian.
3Directed by Abbas Kiarostami, shot by Ali Reza Zarrindast. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Editor Abbas Kiarostami shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Hossain Sabzian and Monoochehr Ahankhah and Mahrokh Ahankhah carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "A real-life situation based on a real incident in actual locations with actual people involved.".
7IMDB entry: tt0100234 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.