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.

I think I really produce my best work in Iran.

It's not so much a question of whether we've shot it through 35mm or digital video; what is important is whether the audience accepts it as real.

A work of art doesn't exist outside the perception of the audience.

In my mind, there isn't as much of a distinction between documentary and fiction as there is between a good movie and a bad one.

I really think that I don't mind people sleeping during my films, because I know that some very good films might prepare you for sleeping or falling asleep or snoozing. It's not to be taken badly at all.

I was mentioning with the digital camera, maybe this new fashion of filmmaking gives a closer look of what life may be like. But it's still nothing but a copy.