271. Abbas Kiarostami's 'Close-up' (1990)

One of the greatest, most thought-provoking yet totally accessible films is this masterpiece of cinema from Iranian filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami.

It's the true story of a Tehran man who impersonates a famous filmmaker and convinces a family that he's going to cast them in a movie. Kiarostami then reconstructs the events that occurred using the real people involved, including the imposter.

Part documentary, part fiction, and entirely about what we think about what we see on-screen, truth, lies, and cinema.

I recommend the Criterion Channel's streaming page about this film as it contains several important subsequent films that will greatly enhance your experience of a film that Martin Scorcese called "life-changing".

Watch the film here.

Watch the documentary follow-up "'Close-up' Long Shot" here.

Watch the 2009 video interview with 'Close-up' director Abbas Kiarostami here.

Read this excellent Godfrey Cheshire essay about the film.