What's so great about Close-Up? (Kiarostami, 1990) 

I have so much appreciation for the people producing these youtube video essays for seemingly little viewership. Without them, films like this would fly way over my head. Thank you for taking the time.

Having “nothing” moments in a film….so alien to todays’ filmography albiet being so important. This essay has depicted so many layered intricacies of the film. Thanks for taking us deep into it with you.

Kiarostami was a genious and should have stayed alive and made more great movies. Rest in Peace.

I was teaching this film as a Film Narratology teacher in University. To me, it's a direct evolution of Don Quixote by Cervantes. In Don Quixote, Cervantes was telling us that we can change reality, or the truth of reality, by looking at it differently. Later came Borges and in his book "Ficciones" told us that what changes is not the truth of reality, but the truth of US. And In the last scene of Close Up, after Kiarostami spends a lot of time trying to convince us that everything is "real" (even going as far as the sound dropping because of a "faulty mike" but the camera needs to capture this singular "truth" has to go on running), suddenly switches the documentary scene into a staged one, thus almost yelling in our ears "I am lying to you!!!", but we shush him and want to carry on watching, carry on believing, because there is no "truth", everything is close up, everything is always subjective no matter how singular it is, there is always the frame of our mind which is "closing up" on things. Such a beautiful film, definitely one of my top 3.

This is one of the most incredible films I've ever watched! And thanks for the essay, you gave some very interesting insights!

Watching this movie as a part of my assignment, felt blank until this video showed up. Thanks.

I watch a lot of film and philosophy essay videos and this is one of the best descriptive and nuanced video I've seen without any fancy editing or grapics. very Kiarostami of you, lol. great work

What an incredible piece you’ve created here! So well edited. As a Californian, I didn’t fully understand this movie when I watched it, and this was so illuminating. Thank you. Looking forward to seeing more of your work.

as an iranian tho so many political and finansial issues was not told correctly but the soul that exist in sabzian is the same for so many iranians people with the biggest dreams and hopes that they dont let them to express so they try unrealistic methodes to just feel it for 1 day or 2and then feeling bad about it great movie great director

Such an excellent analysis. Kiarostami was in a league of his own. His art was so simple yet shrouded in ambiguity. Watching his cinema is truly a spiritual experience.

I just watched this movie, and I couldn't agree more with your saying. I personally really like the last shot, that was very beautiful. Thanks for your great video essay!

great vid, just watched this film without any knowledge of how the case actually occurred, really makes me appreciate it more.

Most film essays I've found on RU-vid ultimately say very little. This one is excellent. Outstanding interpretation and analysis. Thanks.

A very good intervention that puts the film and director in context. The story and the representation of the story - and its outcomes - are studied very carefully and reveal the curiousities of cinematic representation. Thanks.

Very wonderful insights, i like how Sabzian in the end fulfilled the promise of shooting a film inside the family’s home.

Watched today. Just love the film. Thanks for the video essay. It gives interesting insights into the film.

Thank you so much for this essay!

Love this essay! Just watched this movie about a week ago and can’t stop thinking about it. Thanks for providing context for the film and conducting such great analysis.

Thanks a lot for the video..... Helped me a lot to love this masterpiece

thank you so much for making this video

amazing work . sending you love from Turkey. and thank you to my father who made me a Kiarostami fan early on in my life

it's Abbas Kiorastami's brilliant in a shape of simple story plot, an Artistic Masterpiece. It's Abbas Kiorastami's "Art for the Art's sake idea....👌👌👌👌👌

Brilliant ♥️. This is my 3rd film that I have watched due to your video & recommendation. Trying to cover them all 😌

I am really glad to see this study. This was my first Kiarostami movie and I look forward to watch all of them. I also love to watch Panahi and Farhadi. Thank you for this video.

Amazing commentary... well done 👏👏👏🫶

wow this is so well done

This is phenomenal work! Some of the best analysis I've come across in a long time! Thank you very much for this! Unrelated, but would you ever consider evaluating a film by Margarethe von Trotta (my favourite filmmaker right now)? Thanks for everything!!

thank you for your work!

Great video about an incredible film!

I watched this movie not knowing it was a documentary and i was so confused. I’m going to watch it again

Thanks for review🙏

Thanks a lot for this detailed essay. Very interesting insights..Keep up the good work!

Thank you for sharing this

One of my TOP 10 movies ever. TOP 2, in fact. This one and "Cinema Paradiso".

Thank you so much for your efforts 🧡🧡🧡

great video

very very wellput thank you for articulating so well

Esse inglês com sotaque português não me enganou! Parabéns pelo vídeo, para mim o Close Up é dos melhores filmes de sempre

increíble, gracias.

What a great essay ! Can you tell me the background songs that you used please ?

Nice

Great

Wow👍👍👍👌

2nd favourite film!

thanks

Are you on letterboxd? Would like to see your favorite movies. Or maybe you can make a video on that

❤

everything is great about close up

Epic Director, who made movie as poetic.

You bet your ASS this is a beautiful movie.

I miss my wife

Toughy fork