Close-Up

Close-Up

Close-Up

Moviecut—Close-Up

Interesting concept for sure, but very bland execution. Doesn't reach any kind of emotional depths for me.

This film seemed to get an awful lot of plaudits. It's a story of a man who oversteps his bounds as a supposed film producer and gets arrested for fraud. He led a wealthy Iranian family to believe he was filming them as a famous director when he had no such position. It involves his efforts to avoid prosecution and make right what he has done. There are several scenes presented documentary style, using non-actors. I have to say I had some trouble making my way through it.

Only in Iran would a small time fraudster, otherwise unemployed salesman/printer's assistant quote Tolstoy (on art and life) at his trial. Only in Iran would the mother of the family defrauded by this fraudster ask the police not to arrest him,but -- in keeping with her code of hospitality -- ask them to 'let him finish his lunch' first. And perhaps only in Iran would a film director not only be allowed to film a trial in a courtroom, but also allowed to ask questions about of the fraudster, not only about his 'crime' of impersonating another famous director, but also about his views on art and life. Just as the distinction between fiction and non fiction has become increasingly blurred,this film is one of many other Iranian films where the viewer is not sure what is 'real' or 'enacted', since the people involved in the original incident (the family, the fraudster and the journalist') are 'playing themselves'. For me the most interesting part of the film was the testimony of the man on trial about the motivation for his impersonation. He testifies to the great power he held over this otherwise canny, educated family, who for some time at least he held in his power by virtue of his (assumed) identity. One doesn't know whether to applaud his honesty or to castigate him for his crime. This ambivalence towards individuals or regarding charged situations is a hallmark of new wave Iranian cinema, of which this film is an excellent representative. 'Close up' is an incredibly simple AND complex film. It can be read as a parable for post revolution Iranian society, or a realistic depiction of the problems faced both by the rich and poor (unemployment, for instance, affects the rich kids as well as the fraudster, making the former amenable to the schemes of the latter). The resolution of the film is a beautiful depiction of the grace that comes with rising above retribution.

One close look at the history of cinema will tell that some of the great films have been made using everyday events as background.This is done in order to include a certain dose of creativity in scenario.This is also the case of Iranian film Nemaye Nazdik (Close Up) based on a famous incident of impersonation involving great Iranian director Mohsen Makhmalbaf.If we believe that cinema is like magic and its actors and actress are like stars,we must also be ready to face the negative consequences of the so called star status of cinema's luminaries.There are many admirers who do not understand the detrimental consequences of their actions when they try to imitate what is fiction.Close Up talks of one such case involving a poor Iranian man named Ali Sabzian who deceives a lady by stating that he would like to shoot in her house as he is famous Iranian filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf.His deceit is exposed and he is imprisoned.All this might appear as a simple tale to layman but in reality "Close Up" is more complex than one can think.It is a film which challenges our notions of cinema and reality,truth or falsehood.As these concepts are subjective in nature,it is better if viewers are left to draw their own conclusions after having seen the film.One of the greatest scenes from "Close Up" shows Ali Sabzian (as he is sobbing uncontrollably) being comforted by great Mohsen Makhmalbaf.This is the most perfect example of how reality meets reality.

And a psychological one. This movie is only, so to speak, about a man, his mind and his conscience and this is well portrayed by his attitude and his reactions. His love of art and cinema led him to impersonate a famous film director and convincing of that a rich family to whom he said he would like to make a movie at their home and with them He ended up charged with fraud and his behaviour during trial was moving and very expressive. This story happened really and most of the performers were the real people that intervened on the real event which makes this movie half documentary half fictional. That simple story is so well directed and performed that keeps you interested and sensible through the whole film projection.

Once upon a time in Tehran an unemployed, divorced, out-of-luck father of two is reading a book on his way home in the bus. Asked by the woman next to him about it, he boldly declares that he actually wrote it as well, a statement that leads to further questions, as this would make him Mohsen Makhmalbaf, the famous Iranian filmmaker... And so it all begins, the story of the impostor, Ali Sabzian, who is invited to said woman's home, suggests to make a film with her son in a prominent role in it, and what not. Well, it all ends with a trial against the impersonator, who - according to the members of this well-to-do family - must have been up to no good, planning to spy on them and eventually rob the house, or he was clearly mad and megalomaniac, but this idiosyncratic little fellow has his very own explanation... The recounted events really happened. The film "Close-Up" re-enacts them as close to reality as possible and was made by Iran's most proficient director Abbas Kiarostami using not only Ali Sabzian in the lead, but also the family involved in their respective parts. With these given parameters it is clear that we're dealing with much more than a semi-documentary, as in the tradition of other works of the New Iranian Wave we become witness of a powerful blending of film and social reality, and in this case completely at the heart of the subject matter. The book at the source of the whole ruckus was Makhmalbaf's script of "The Cyclist", dealing with a man who like Sisyphus is forced to ride a bicycle continuously for a week to help out his sick wife. What others perceive as a crook sees himself as "the traveler", a reference to one of Kiarostami's very own films - and he has a dream, a very unique Iranian one. It's a film with multiple layers and magic that shines from within like no other. Don't expect technical brilliance, dazzling sights and sounds or overblown melodrama. This one is real. Groundbreakingly so.

It was a familiar title in the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, but it suggested many ideas to me as to what it would be about, I had no idea it was a real life story, but not a documentary, and not a fictionalised version of events, but a combination of both. Basically director Abbas Kiarostami (also appearing in the film) brings together all those involved in the case of Hossain Sabzian, who was charged with impersonating a film director Iranian director Mohsen Makhmalbaf (Gabbeh, The Cyclist) and entering the home of the Ahankhah family, visiting numerous times pretending to be interested in making a film in their house. He even managed to talk members of the family into letting him "borrow" money to "prepare for his film"; he was only caught out when a photograph of the real Makhmalbaf was spotted in a magazine, and a journalist/reporter (Hossain Farazmand) confirms he is an impostor. The footage of the film consists of the real people, playing themselves obviously, re-enacting what they all did in this situation, and the court case, but these scenes are not in chronological order. Also starring Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Abolfazl Ahankhah – father, Mehrdad Ahankhah – son, Monoochehr Ahankhah – son, Mahrokh Ahankhah – daughter, Nayer Mohseni Zonoozi – daughter, Ahmad Reza Moayed Mohseni - family friend and Haj Ali Reza Ahmadi – Judge. The concept of using the real people to play themselves in a nearly fictionalised re-enacting of what they all did in the real situation is quite clever, it is rare that the real people appear acting, especially playing themselves on screen, only United 93 comes to mind, so it I supposed adds realism as well as unusual mischievousness, an interesting experimental documentary drama. Good!