In real life, when someone's partner calls them, they can tell from the first word their partner says what their mood is.

Using non-actors has its own rules and really requires that you allow them to do their own thing.

I've often noticed that we are not able to look at what we have in front of us, unless it's inside a frame.

This was pointed out to me by somebody who referred to the paintings of Rembrandt and his use of light: some elements are highlighted while others are obscured or even pushed back into the dark. And it's something that we do - we bring out elements that we want to emphasise.

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 have received the digital camera as a blessing. It has really changed my life as a filmmaker, because I don't use my camera anymore as a camera. I don't feel it as a camera. I feel it as a friend, as something that doesn't make an impression on people, that doesn't make them feel uncomfortable, and that is completely forgotten in my way of approaching life and people and film.

The [Iranian] government grapples with more important issues and we can maybe say that these films don't really exist for them. It's not about whether they like it or don't; it's just not very important to them.