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Close-Up

(Nema-ye nazdik, Abbas Kiarostami, 1990) 

101 Films You Need to See Before Graduation

Two bearded men are riding on a motorcycle together wearing blue jackets. The man in front is wearing sunglasses.

Abbas Kiarostami’s famous docufiction film is a masterclass in the layered, dynamic possibilities of the genre.

A key film in Iran’s second New Wave movement, Abbas Kiarostami’s Close-Up is the true story of a young cinephile who pretends to be famous Iranian director Mohsen Makhmalbaf and convinces a wealthy family to appear in his upcoming film. The heady blend of documentary and fiction mixes real-life footage of the man’s trial with recreations of interactions with the family (with everyone playing themselves!). Consistently named one of the greatest movies of all time, Close-Up is a fascinating and unique study of filmmaking and the creative process. In Persian with English subtitles. (98 mins., DCP)

IMAGE CAPTION
Close-Up, courtesy of Janus Films.

"You come away contemplating…the extent to which we all spend our lives acting, inhabiting the identities we’ve created for ourselves, in an attempt to make life bearable."
Jared Rapfogel, Senses of Cinema

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About the series

This year we are excited to welcome a new series of free matinees featuring films that everyone should see before they graduate—whether that is from Ohio State or from the school of film fandom! Working with faculty and listening to student feedback, we’re presenting an enticing and eclectic array of classics that will compliment and expand your appreciation of film history.  

FILM/VIDEO PROGRAMS MADE POSSIBLE BY 
National Endowment for the Arts 
Ohio Humanities

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY 
Rohauer Collection Foundation

WEXNER CENTER PROGRAMS MADE POSSIBLE BY 
Greater Columbus Arts Council
 
The Wexner Family 
Institute of Museum and Library Services
 
Mellon Foundation 
Every Page Foundation 
Ohio Arts Council, with support from the National Endowment for the Arts 
CampusParc 
Nationwide Foundation 
Ohio State’s Global Arts + Humanities Discovery Theme 
The Columbus Foundation 
Axium Packaging

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY 
Ohio State Energy Partners 
Ohio History Fund/Ohio History Connection 
David Crane and Elizabeth Dang 
Melissa Gilliam and William Grobman 
Rebecca Perry Damsen and Ben Towle

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