“I think I really produce my best work in Iran.”

A movie is about human beings, about humanity.

The Iranian government as a whole has no relationship with my films. They’re not particularly interested, perhaps this kind of cinema is not very interesting to them.

My way of expression is full of complications and mystery because that’s my perception of life.

The only thing that I can do is hold a mirror in front of men and women, in front of the viewer in the theater, to reflect. There is nothing but reflection that I could intend to offer the viewer of the film.

I really enjoy listening to stories. I remember them and keep them in my mind.

This [the earthquake] was a very big influence on me, and the issue of life and death from then on does recur in my films.

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

The film [Close Up] made itself, to a large extent. The characters involved were very real, I wasn’t directing the actors so much as being directed by them. So it was a very particular film.

In order to be able to cooperate with a child, you have to come down to below their level in order to communicate with them. Actors are also like children.

I think Woody Allen is Woody Allen, and no matter where he goes he still makes his Woody Allen films.

The digital camera has given me total freedom and a different way of filming.

Therefore, when you see the end result, it’s difficult to see who’s the director, me or them. Ultimately, everything belongs to the actors – we just manage the situation.

Maybe more than a teller, I am a story listener. I really enjoy listening to stories. I remember them and keep them in my mind. All of my films are a collection of small stories that have been told to me.

Religion works on some people but not on everyone, because it says, ‘Stop thinking and accept what I tell you.’ That’s not valid for people who want to think and reflect.

It’s true that the best way of knowing yourself is to put yourself into different situations.

Anything I’ve not experienced I do not look to for a subject. I have to feel it.

I’d have wasted a lot of time and trouble before I learned that the best way to take all people, black or white, is to take them for what they think they are, then leave them alone.

Our best years are only ahead of us, so we got to continue to keep pushing.

The best players will play. That’s the way it will always be.

Once you are labeled ‘the best’ you want to stay up there, and you can’t do it by loafing around.

From the beginning of time, the bad guys always had the best uniforms. Napoleon, the Confederates, the Nazis.

I’m just trying to grow. That’s one thing I told myself is, ‘Don’t worry about who people say is the best player’.

Set the goal and work all days for it, until you achieve, I want to be a champion, the best!

I want to be one of the best players in the game.