Poetry, especially traditional Iranian poetry, is very good at looking at things from a number of different angles simultaneously.

I gained a great deal from the period during which I worked in theater and I value those things a great deal.

Often times, music is used to evoke an emotion and it's become a cliche, so I don't want to do that, and actually what I do, is that emotional intensity that has developed throughout the film, I allow it to get released by having that music at the end with the credits.

Whether we like it or not, the modernity is something that comes from Western countries, and when the modernity comes to the Eastern countries, although they feel like they really need it, at the same time it shakes the very fundament of the culture - there is always this challenge between the two.

Sometimes we feel like life is like theater, really.

It's very difficult to talk about religion in Iran because religion has gotten so mixed up with politics.

Poetry, especially traditional Iranian poetry, is very good at looking at things from a number of different angles simultaneously.