I had intended to make another film, called Pocket Money, which was to be about children at a school. I was very much intrigued by the story [of Close Up] - it came into my dreams and I was very much influenced by it. So I called my producer and asked that we put aside Pocket Money and start something else, and he agreed.

In my experience as a director, I think there is obviously something of the way men - maybe that's a common point with Shirin - the way men see women in the film, and the way these two characters see each other.

Unfortunately, cinema critics are very few in America, 400-500 people, but there are more critics of Iran.

I am still very surprised that I managed to make that film [Close Up]. When I actually look back on that film, I really feel that I was not the director but instead just a member of the audience.

I think life is so difficult to catch, it's so furtive, that a copy, a film, can in no way catch it and represent it.

I believe there's only good cinema and bad cinema.

I think that if you're a digital thinker, you can use a digital camera.