This Is Not a Film (2011) - full transcript

Hello?

Hello, hi.

Hi. How's it going?

Fine. How are you?

Thanks. What's up?

Not much.
I'm having breakfast.

Bon Appetite!

Are you outside office?

Yes. Somehow I'm making an effort.

So you're busy.

Kind of.



Listen...

I'm stuck in a problem.

What did you do about that thing?

I'm about to find out more

and I'm trying to talk
with a couple of guys.

Actually, I'm waiting
for the right moment to start.

Then it hasn't started yet?

I'm taking a chance here and there.

I mean I haven't started
serious production yet.

Just doing some things for now.

Listen. I...

I can't say much on the phone.
Can you come to my place?

What is it?
Anything happened?

No, don't get worried.



Just come over. I have a few ideas
I want to tell you about.

Come here and we'll see what can be done.

All right. I'm somewhere
but I'll try to get there quickly.

So you'll be here
in about half an hour, right?

I hope so.
There's the traffic, but I'll try.

I'll see you then.

Sure.

Just don't tell anyone
you're coming here, OK?

Is there a problem?

No. Don't be worried.
Just come over.

Bye.

See you.

See you.

THIS IS NOT A FILM

Hello, Jafar?

Are you awake?

I wanted to say that Panahi and I
are going to your mum's.

And we'll give her New Year present,
and then maybe...

we'll go together to your sister's
to give her present too.

You want to talk to dad?
Hold on...

Dad, listen. I turned the camera on
and placed it on the chair.

I just think there isn't much charge
left in it. The battery might run out.

Bye.

Don't get worried
if we're home late.

I'll try and call you again.

Oh, by the way,
don't forget Igi's food.

Get out of bed right now.

Igi's food is on the balcony.
Just wash it well.

Our daughter will kill us
if her Igi gets sick.

Make sure to water the flowers.

Don't get worried
if I call you late...

or if I don't call at all.

The city is real busy today,

and the lines
will probably get disconnected.

We'll come home late tonight.
I'll call you if I can.

I love you. Bye.

Here.
Eat and let's make up.

Stubborn boy.

Have some cheese.

Up here...
There...

Hello?

Hello Ms. Gheyrat.

Hello sir.
How are you?

This is Panahi. Very well.
How are you doing?

Fine, thank you.

Any news, Ms. Gheyrat?

Nothing new.
The appeals court hasn't decided yet.

So where do I stand right now?

I mean is it going to be clear
by the New Year?

It all depends.
If there is some influence,

then they may issue
a verdict immediately.

But recent verdicts
have all taken long.

Do you think...

the appeals judge...

will confirm the verdict or not?

I need to know.

I believe that
the complementary punishment...

What's that?

I mean the 30-year ban.

Yes, 20-year ban.

Oh yes.
The 20-year.

I believe the
20-year will be taken back...

and the 6-year imprisonment
will perhaps be reduced somewhat.

This is my guess.

That means
I'll definitely go to prison.

Yes, the prison is certain.
They're not going to acquit you.

Unless there is some
very strong order, a strong decision,

or some pressure.

They never completely
over-rule the punishment.

What do you mean by "pressure"?

Are you talking
about international reactions?

Yes, and the internal pressure, too.

The internal demand
can make a major influence.

Rakhshan (Banietemad)
talked to me, too.

I see.

I told her all this.

I don't know what effort
recommendation, attention...

these things
do make a difference, you know.

The domestic cinema community
isn't in a position right now

to be of much help.

I mean if they make the slightest move,

they'll be banned from working as well.

I really don't expect any reaction from...

I fully understand.

I recently managed
to reduce a 4 months old case...

in the same court, from 2-year sentence
to a 1-year sentence.

So you see?

Yes, but...

But I haven't seen a case
in which the appeals judge

will completely
over-rule the sentence.

They either confirm or reduce it a bit.

So I...

But your verdict...
my guess is that the judge

will definitely take
the 20-year ban away,

and might give a
discount on the 6-year term.

So from what you're saying,
I should pack my sack

and put it by the front door.

I hope it won't be that way.
What can I say?

I'm really ashamed on my own behalf.

Since we don't know
what's going to happen either.

Since the rulings
aren't legal rulings at all, unfortunately.

That's why our legal arguments
were not heard.

I should say this plain and simple
that the rulings are...

one hundred percent political
and not legal at all,

not judicial at all.

100% political.

It all depends
on the current social conditions

and the pressures and reactions.

Thank you very much.

I'm really ashamed
for bothering you so much.

Oh, no.
Please don't say that.

Goodbye.

Goodbye.

I think I should remove this cast
and throw it away.

Do you remember the film "Mirror"?

"Mirror" was my second film.

It was about a little girl
whose mother hasn't shown up...

to pick her up from school,
and she tries to go home on her own,

and to find the way.
She gets on the bus, and as the bus goes,

she realises
that she's going the wrong way.

Eventually
the girl can't take it any more.

She takes out the cast
and throws it away.

She says that she wants to be herself.

"What you've done is a lie.

I do know my way home.

I don't understand
what you want from me."

Don't look at the camera, Mina.

- I'm not acting anymore!
- Cut.

Mina...

I want to get off!

What's the matter?

I'm not acting anymore!

Has somebody bothered you?

Open the door!
Let me off!

- What should I do?
- Stop the bus.

Open up!

Mina, won't you say?

No, I won't.

Let her get off.

I'm not sure about the outcome, but...

Bring the camera closer.

- You want to shoot this?
- Yes.

- Shall we block off the sidewalk?
- No. Never mind that.

She might touch the microphone.

Do we have her voice?

Yes.

Ready to shoot?

Let's go then.

Check the sound.

Recording.

So I was saying.

I think right now I'm in
exactly a similar position as Mina.

Somehow I must remove my cast
and throw it away.

This morning
after we talked on the phone,

I sat down and reviewed the shots
I had filmed earlier.

I realised it seems like pretending
in a sense.

It is turning out to be a lie
and that it is somehow not me.

I remembered you
were going to make a film...

about such problems.

What was it exactly?

Behind the scenes
of Iranian filmmakers not making films.

I see.

That's why I asked you to come over.

Perhaps we could achieve something

inside this house.

I'll tell you now.

Just a moment, let me get this.

By the way, I don't know
much about technical problems.

Now do we need
additional light for the ambiance?

Right now
the problem is over-saturation.

The problem is over-exposure.

But there is too much light
coming through the windows.

So I don't need
to fetch additional light?

Good. Let's go into the kitchen.

What are you going to do?

Let's drink our tea
and think about what to do.

The reason I took
this screenplay is that...

Wait a moment.

Let me change my view.

I don't know if you remember
this screenplay or not.

This is the last film
that I was going to make.

I sent it for approval,
which unfortunately they didn't approve.

They told me to make
some changes to the screenplay...

and to mellow it down a little
and it might get permission,

but still it didn't get the approval,
and I wasn't allowed to work.

Now I thought perhaps
I could read out the screenplay.

Now that I'm not allowed
to make the film

perhaps by reading and explaining,

I might create an image of it.

Perhaps the viewer will see

the film that wasn't made.

The film is about a girl
who has been admitted

to university in the field of arts.

But since she comes
from a traditional family,

her family does not let her...

... to study in that field.

Particularly after she passes...

the university entrance exam,

and her name is printed in newspapers.

Her father finds out
and the family makes restrictions for her.

- Do you want me to warm up your tea?
- No, thanks.

Then the parents leave on a trip
and lock the girl inside the house.

From now on, with all doors locked

the girl tries to find

some way out of the house.

If she cannot get to Tehran
in time for registration,

she will be denied
the chance to go to university.

The film was supposed to take place

within the interior of the house
and I tried to do it

but I couldn't.

That's why I asked you
to come over and help me

in this location
to be able to tell the screenplay.

With the camera following me

rather than being placed on tripod,

I can tell the screenplay more easily.

So you are about to tell

your last screenplay that wasn't made?

Yes, but not in here.

If I sit here and read

it will bore everyone.

But if we go to that area over there,

we can construct the conditions

to explain more easily.

Good.
So let's go over to the other side.

Very well. Cut.

Cut?

Go on. Cut.

You are not directing.
It's an offense.

You just read the screenplay.

So I'm not a director any more.

Ok. If you are going to describe,
then leave the rest to me.

Just tell us your screenplay
and I'll follow you.

I hope it works.

By the way,
acting and reading screenplay by me

are not going to be counted
as offense, are they?

I hope not.

No, they aren't.

So far it says...
20 years ban from film-making,

20 years ban
from writing screenplays,

20 years ban
from leaving the country,

20 years ban
from having interviews.

Acting and reading screenplays
were not mentioned.

Thanks God.

I think this space here

should be enough for our story.

This location does not match

our main character, Maryam...

since she's from a lower class.

We can only recreate the location here

so we can get a feel of her situation...

Just a moment.

Let's imagine this rug is the girl's home.

We suppose the girl's entire, house
to be this area here

and I'll start from here...

and these lines that I draw...

are the walls of the girl's room.

This is her room.

Let's say this is her bed
and she's lying here.

There's a window here.

The opening shot will be of this window.

This shot will last about 6

and we'll only be seeing the alley.

Then the entrance to the room will be here.

Here's the entrance to the girl's room.

And here's the entrance to the house.

They enter through here.

The living room is here.

A few stairs and we enter...

the girl's room.

Take these to be the stairs.

Here's the alley.

Here's the house next-door.

The boy always stands here.

I'll tell of some events

that take place inside this house.

This is the location I found
on my trip to Isfahan.

The window had to be altered
to match my idea.

Here's the girl's room
and it's in a mess right now,

and we had to change the arrangements.

These are the stairs

that lead to the girl's room.

Here's the living room
that I talked about.

Here's the entrance to the house
that we're going to need.

In my last five films,

events have always taken, place
out on the streets

and, due to limitations that exist
concerning the veil for actresses,

I have never shot inside homes.

Then I submitted a screenplay
titled "Return" to the Ministry,

but they didn't grant permission
for making.

I pursued that for a couple of years.

"Return" was about
the last day of the (Iran-Iraq) war,

based on a short story
by a writer who had himself spent

the whole duration of the war
in the war zone.

Iran has finally accepted
the resolution to end the war.

And the soldiers are returning
to their hometowns.

Now there aren't enough vehicles
for them to return.

Eventually, some of the soldiers

lie on railroad tracks

and force a train to stop,
so they can get on.

It is only after they get on the train
that we begin to see

the problems of war.

Well, after they didn't grant
permission to make,

I started thinking what to do.
I sketched out other subjects,

and they all took place
in single locations.

Then I decided
to use the interior as location.

My next screenplay titled "Sea" took place

inside a holiday home by the sea.

There were only 3 or 4 characters,

so that it could be made
inside the home...

in case they didn't grant
permission to make.

Unfortunately, that didn't work either.

My next film was being made together
with Mr. Rasoulof...

inside this house
and we had shot 30% of the film...

when all of a sudden
they stormed in and took us away...

with all the footage,
and the problems started.

Let's put that aside.

Opening shot.
Here's our frame...

showing the alley.

There's a boy standing at the far end.

An old woman turns into the alley
and walks up to the middle of the alley.

The boy comes to help her
with a heavy load she's carrying.

They pass underneath our frame

as we continue to see the alley
through a fixed shot.

We hear the door bell ring,
and after a moment the boy returns.

The old woman enters the house

comes up the stairs,

opens this door and enters the room.

She sees that the girl is sleeping.

We can tell all this from the sounds.

"Hi Granny.
Did you get me the mobile SIM card?"

Not in this tone, of course.

We should be able to tell
she's just woken up

and she's a little sleepy.

"Your father told me not to buy you one.
Did you tell him?"

"What do you think?
I shouldn't have?"

"Oh, granny!"

We hear the old woman...
"Get up, get up."

The old woman whines
about her physical weakness,

and says that she's unable
to visit her every day.

And we learn that she's alone at home

no one other
than the old woman visits her

and that she is in fact

the girl's paternal grandmother.

The old woman gives the girl
her last words and talks of the boy

and says that he is a nice boy.

She says that

she thinks the boy might in fact
be the next-door girl's suitor.

Once again the old woman
gives the girl her last word,

and says that
she won't visit the girl for a week.

We hear her footsteps

as she goes back
the way she had come in.

We hear the door
open to the alley and...

and through this same frame...

we see the old woman.

As we hear the door
we also see the boy

leave his standing position
at the top of the alley.

The old woman
who has entered the frame...

walks to the end of the alley
and turns right.

After a moment
the boy takes up his position again.

And stares at this window.

This was the opening shot.

Second shot
take this place to be the bathroom,

and the camera
is behind the bathroom door.

We hear the usual sounds
from inside the bathroom.

Then the door opens
and for the first time

we see the girl
who has a shaven head.

She goes to the bed,
and sits on the edge of the bed.

And the bed is here
as we said before.

Then she lies on the bed
for a moment

and touches her face.

The phone rings.

She goes toward the phone,
which is located here.

Suppose this is the phone on the table.

She answers the phone,

but no one talks.

She slams the receiver to the floor.

She throws herself on the bed...

and as her face is buried
in the mattress, she cries.

After a while

she turns and stares at the ceiling
for a few moments.

There is a strong rope
hanging from the ceiling.

The camera tilts down

There is a chair right here.

The girl is sitting on the chair and...

stares intently,

as if deciding to do the last thing...

that she must do
before committing suicide.

In the previous shot,
when no one answered the phone,

she had slammed
the phone to the ground

and it was shattered
with its pieces all over the floor.

Now she is looking
at the phone in pieces.

Next shot. Cut.

The handset that she slammed
is in pieces here.

This shot is in fact
the P.O.V. of the girl.

She starts putting together
the pieces when...

the phone suddenly rings.

She mechanically puts
the handset to her ear.

"Hello?"

She hears the ringing again.

She goes toward the base...

and pushes...

What is it?
Why don't you continue?

In a moment...

We hear the end-of-call tone.

Maryam thinks for a moment.

Although she is upset...

If we could tell a film
then why make a film?

- Hello, sir.
- Hello.

- Here you are.
- Thank you.

How much is that?

Be our guest.

What's going on outside?

Nothing yet. It has just started.
It'll soon get intense.

Why do you ask?

Just asking.

Here you are.

Is that right?

Yes. Thanks.

Keep the change.

Thank you.

Bye.

Food is here.

I'm looking for the sequence

in which Hossein goes to the jeweller's

and the jeweller humiliates him.

He acted in such a way
that was beyond my control...

Just a moment...

This... Not here.

Here... Just look at this.

When you are telling,
you must tell a bunch of details.

But with an amateur actor
like Hossein

the details won't be predictable
in advance at all.

You write some things,

but when you go on location,

and the amateur enters

he does the directing on you.

He leads you
to how you explain the film.

What I mean is that
the film must first be made

for us to be able to explain it later.

How could I explain
before making the film...

Hossein should lean against the wall,
do the thing

that he did with his eyes,
and that I had never seen before?

I mean when I told him to act
he did all that by himself.

I don't know.

Maybe I'm...

marking time somehow.

I feel what we are doing here
is also a lie.

Like the first sequence that we saw.

The rest will certainly
turn out to be lies...

no matter how it proceeds.

Let's take the film "Circle"
for example...

Where was it?

But you can't make
a film now anyhow, can you?

So what I can't make film?
That means I ask you...

to take a film of me?

Do you think it will turn
into some major work of art?

- That's what you said, right?
- What did I say?

You asked me to come here.
You said you had tried a couple of shots,

they hadn't worked out,
they seemed phony...

Jafar, You are now waiting
for the confirmation of the verdict...

for the film that you were making before.

You have a 20-year ban on all activities
in addition to a 6-year prison term.

So...

Well this is an activity
related to cinema, anyhow.

What you're doing now,
and later I'll be doing.

- What is?
- This film being made.

- You call this a film?
- It beats me. You should say.

OK, come and look.
You see this sequence?

In that film
if the actress was directing...

Shoot the screen...

OK. Look.

Here location is doing the directing.

This actress didn't need to make
any certain face to show her anxiety.

Those vertical lines in the location...

Those lines...

supplement her mental state.

It all works out perfectly.

Now how can I really express myself
inside that boundary

with the lines I drew?

How can I tell the sense and feeling
in this kind of film?

Not possible

Let's go on now,
maybe my feeling improves...

We'll see what we can do later.

What do you want?

Wherever you go, it's blocked.

Most websites are filtered.
The rest don't saying anything.

Your nails are too sharp.

Go Igi... Go up.

Your nails are hurting me.

It says here..
"We're glad to have caused

the House of Cinema
to be concerned about the revolution."

The Cinema Deputy
of the Ministry indicates

that they are happy that
for the first time the concern

about execution of policies
with revolutionary goals have become

the focal point of the current directors
of the House of Cinema.

He says..
"We directed the Berlin Film Festival".

Hi Rakhshan.

Hi, how are you?

Fine. How are you?

How about you?

I'm fine. Not bad.
Just so-so.

Anything new?

I was talking to my lawyer earlier.

Apparently she spoke with you.

Yes. I have spoken with her.

What did she say?

I wanted to make sure about
the court district number and details.

I thought the least we could do
was to recirculate

the original appeal made
by the 12 prominent filmmakers,

and send it to the appeals court.

Do you have anything new?

No. I talked with Gheyrat.
She wasn't too hopeful...

She said perhaps
the reactions and protests...

by world artists
could affect the decision.

The same voices that are heard
particularly within the country.

I told her that I didn't wish
to put the Iranian colleagues in trouble.

There are problems for all of us
that everyone knows about.

But...

Well, problems there are plenty.

The thing is that
everyone is getting scared off.

I mean I don't know...

You know the conditions well.

Turning every little instance

into a big deal for everyone...

has caused everyone
to arrive at a certain numbness.

Just last night I was thinking
of talking with you and saying

that the case is now in the appeals court,

and the same appeal by the filmmakers
and this time more extended

and then to follow up
in the Judiciary Branch directly.

OK. Thank you.

Bye.

Bye.

It's OK. Let's go on.

I gave the Cut again!

What?
I don't know what can be done really.

Let me try and tell
another part of the screenplay.

I know it can't be compared
with a film or a real work. But...

I'd like to tell another sequence.
We'll see how it turns out.

The sequence in which the girl...

Oh, by the way,
I never showed you the girl.

Yes... Here.

These 2 girls spoke with Isfahani accent.

We tested a number...
30 or 40 girls,

but these two were the closest
to what I was after

Particularly if they shaved their heads.

This one with those hollow eyes,

it looked like she'd had a life

full of hardships and problems.

I felt that the role would suit her

and she had
a very nice Isfahani accent, too.

Now...

Oh, by the way, let me say, that
within the whole film

she developed
a very intense relationship with the boy

who stands at the end of the alley,

and within the 4 - 5 days...

she feels that she's falling in love
with the boy.

And it causes her
to gradually lose interest in

going to Tehran,
and there's a relationship forming.

Toward the end of the film
we begin to learn that

as in the original story...

Since this story is based
on a 1-page work,

by Chekhov titled "A Girl's Notes"

that Kambozia (Partovi)
and I worked together on...

we begin to learn
that the boy didn't come there...

because he was in love

but that he had adverse intention, and...

he was in fact an agent.

Anyway, one sequence I like

is when her sister comes to the door...

Why do I keep crossing here?
It's by habit.

The other time
I left the phone behind the line.

The sister comes to the door
and we later learn that...

she has left her husband in a sulk
and has nowhere to go.

Door is locked
and only the grandmother has the key.

The girl tries to talk with her sister
through the window,

but she can't.

So she comes over here
and goes down these stairs,

and arrives behind the entrance.

She has tried before to open the door,
but couldn't

so she just sits there behind the door,

like this, and talks with her sister.

We never see the sister.

We have a closed frame.

We only hear the sister talk
from behind the door.

The sister talks
of her own problems,

and Maryam talks of her own problems,
and it turns out...

that they both have
serious problems.

The sister, who is behind the door

notices the boy's presence.

In one of my favourite dialogues,

she says..
"Listen, go with him."

Since last year which was actually
the first 'fireworks Wednesday'

since the protests following
the presidential elections,

Iran's leader for the first time

denounced fireworks Wednesday
as unreligious,

and said there's no religious basis
for fireworks Wednesday.

Therefore practically since last year...

Hello.

- Is Aunt Tahereh home?
- No, she's gone out.

How about Panahi?

Panahi has gone with Tahereh
to give his grandma's New Year present.

- Do you know when they'll come home?
- Late at night, I think.

Can I ask a favour?

Just don't ask me to keep this.

Please.
There's no one to keep Micky.

I'm going out with Shahrzad
for the Fireworks. I have promised her.

Why don't you
take him to the 8th floor?

But Shahrzad
has left her cat with them.

Just for an hour please.
I promise I'll be back soon.

- But what am I supposed to do with it?
- I'll be back soon.

- When will you be back?
- In one hour.

Well, come on in.

I'll really be back soon.

Go Micky.

I'll come soon. Thanks a lot.

OK. Bye.

Come. Come here.

Shima...

Take this out, Shima. Igi is scared.

But he's safe.

Sorry, I can't.
Take him to the 6th floor.

Hello?

Hi.

Hello, sir.
How is it going?

Thanks. What's up?

Where are you?

Just sitting at home.

Where are Tahereh and Panahi?

They've gone to give my mother
her New Year present.

You should see outside.
Shall I come and pick you up?

No. I can't come.

The guys have asked me to call
as in ask you to come if you like.

No, thanks.
I'm waiting for Tahereh and Panahi.

I'll have to see what they're up to.

There's amazing traffic outside.

The crowd is in the middle of street
and armed men are standing around.

Where?

There's a weird atmosphere outside.

I feel armed men
are helping light up the fires!

Where are you?

I'm returning from office.
But don't get worried.

Would you like me to pick up Tahereh,
and bring her home?

No. I asked them to wait
until the streets are quiet.

Excuse me... sorry.
I'll call you.

Police stopped me.

What happened?

Hello?

Can you see the fireworks at all?

Hello?

Let me turn down the TV.

I called to say don't worry.

They were checking my camera.

Don't worry.
I'm through the checkpoint now.

But who were they that stopped you?

They've got checkpoints.
They stop cars.

They'll ask you to pull over
and they'll start searching.

It was just a random check.

They saw my camera on the seat.
They asked me to pull over.

He asked me
why I was carrying a camera.

I said it's for my work.
I'm returning from my office.

He took a look
at my camera and he let me go.

Listen. Be careful.

Sure.

Sir... If you are worried,
I can go and pick up Tahereh and Panahi.

It's unbelievable traffic out here

and I see a lot of police on the streets.

You don't need to do anything.

You just look after yourself.

Don't cause any trouble.

Ok. I'm going directly home.

Don't cause any problem. Just go.

Yes, sir. I was in the office
and now I'm going home.

OK.

Thanks. Bye.

Bye.

What are you doing?

I got bored, I'm taking a film.

We aren't able to make our film
so at least...

I want to see if I can do anything
with the cell phone.

They say,
"when hairdressers have nothing to do,

they cut each other's hair."

Fine. You shoot, too.

But what good can it do?
The quality is too low.

Listen, Jafar. I believe what matters
is that it is documented.

Since the day
those things happened to you,

and after you left the prison...

if you had turned on
your cell-phone's camera,

you would have recorded
a lot of important moments.

We won't know if they can be turned
into a film or not...

Even the things we've been doing
so far today.

If you want to turn it into a film,
I doubt it, but...

if you're documenting the days,
then go ahead.

I don't know
what we've been doing.

But I thought I might hear
about my verdict any time...

and I've got tired of sitting home
the past few months,

I thought I might as well do something.

That's quite natural.

Don't cut, Jafar.

- Why?
- Keep it on.

And shoot what?

Take a shot of me in case I'm arrested...

there will be some images left.

Nothing can be seen from this side.
Can't see outside.

Don't count much
on what I have taken

since I'm not a photographer.

At least you know some things.

I really don't know anything technical.

Do you really want us to continue,
or what?

I don't know.

Can't you stay longer tonight,
so we see how it goes?

You want us to sit like this
looking at each other all night?

And we can't do anything.

I think I should be going.
I'm worried about my son, Yasna.

He was going to Fireworks Wednesday
with a lot of ammunition.

It's late already.

We can meet again tomorrow.

Now I'm going to leave
the camera with you...

exactly the way
I took it from you..

Do you think
I will shoot anything?

No, but it matters
that the cameras stay ON.

It's important
that the cameras are ON.

Let me make it stable.

How do you make it level?
With a lighter?

A lighter as a tripod.

Pass your cigarette pack.

After I leave, you just sit down
and talk to this camera.

Perhaps we can watch
this footage later,

and edit them and see how it looks.

Right. I think the main thing
is to document.

- So you're really leaving?
- If you don't mind, yes.

Let me see you to the door,
and record your leaving.

I have my cell phone, too.

Are you leaving?
Give my best to your wife.

Sure.

Forgive me for all the troubles.

Tell her a couple of idle men
were filming one another.

No, that's OK.

Oh, by the way, Rakhshan...

Once we were talking
and we had nothing to do.

Rakhshan suggested
starting a mobile kitchen.

We asked how do you mean "kitchen"?

She said, we rent a van
and write a sign on it..

"Idle Filmmakers' Mobile Kitchen".

Then we agreed
that each of us cook some dish.

She asked me what I could cook.
I said I don't know how to cook at all.

Then I thought a little and I said
my mother cooks very nice meatballs.

She suggested we write in the menu..
"Jafar's mother's meatballs"!

- Hello, Mr. Panahi.
- Hello.

Do I know you?

Hassan... Nasrin's brother...

Akbar's brother-in-law...
the custodian.

- Well?
- I'm here to pick up your trash.

Oh, to pick up the trash.

I'm leaving if you don't mind.

Just a moment. All right. Go pick it up.

It's in the kitchen, under the sink.

No, don't take off your shoes.

Are you leaving?

Yeah. Call me
and we'll arrange for tomorrow.

Sir, please let me remove the trash
from the elevator.

- No problem. Let it stay.
- But it's messy.

Don't worry.

Bye.

Give my regards to your Mrs.

Listen...
What time shall we meet tomorrow?

Will you call?

Call me tomorrow when you wake up.

We'll arrange to meet and review...

- Where's the trash?
- Over there, under the sink.

- This is it?
- That's all.

- Anything on the balcony?
- No, nothing.

So I'll wait for your call...

I'll be awake...

Your camera is ON, Mr. Panahi.

No problem.

Let me go first.
You go later. That stinks.

Then let me take that out.

No need.
There's a lead on it.

Bye.

Please press
the button to return to floor 9.

Thanks a lot.
Is this also trash, Mr. Panahi?

No, that's a music player
for someone to pick up.

Are you shooting, Mr. Panahi?

Let me put on a decent shirt at least.

Are you filling in for the custodian?

Yes. My sister,
Nasrin is going to have a baby...

- Oh, yes. They've gone to Isfahan.
- Yes.

They like their child to be from Isfahan.

But what do you do here in Tehran?
Are you a custodian somewhere else?

No, I'm only filling in
for Akbar for a few days.

I mean what's your job?

In fact, I do all kinds of things,
but I study on the side, too.

- Study?
- Yes.

Where at?

Art University.

Are you a university student?

- Yes.
- Good.

Thanks a lot.

What field?

I study Arts Research.

Research...

Arts Research.

- So you're studying for master's?
- Yes.

Good.

I don't look like it in these clothes.
This is my work dress.

I'm here to pick up the trash,
so I thought they might get dirty.

I guess he forgot...

His face looked familiar to me.

Isn't he the same guy
who acted in "Red-Hat"?

No way.

He looked quite similar...

I thought it was him,
but without mustache.

He's a friend...

and a documentary filmmaker.

He's Mr. Mirtahmasb
who makes documentary films.

He has a few good documentaries too.

We were just talking.

No, we were not working.

Oh, I thought he was here to audition.

I thought I jumped in your film
all of a sudden...

By the way,
there's a high quality camera over there,

and you're shooting with this?

What's wrong with this?

The professional camera
is over there.

You mean you don't like this one?

I have one in my pocket, too.
Here it is.

Do you think
I can make a film with this?

You can certainly make
a film with it, of course.

OK then. Just a moment...

Let me get the other one.

Shall I take the trash downstairs?

Wait. I'll come, too.

Wait...

Let me take the trash downstairs.

And what to do next?

Wow... My God!
That's awesome.

Let's go. Take those as well.
I'm coming with you.

Let me go in first.

- Let me take them out. They stink.
- No, that's OK.

You're making an actor out of me.
But one of those who will get embarrassed.

No, don't say that.

Excuse me.

Well, I had never seen you here before.

Why? I come here a lot.

I've come here at least
20 or 25 times so far.

At least.

Don't you have anything else to do?

Excuse me.

Yes, I do have other things to do.
But this is part of what I do.

My sister needs...

Do you get paid for this?

No, this is just helping Akbar and Nasrin.
You know...

How do you pay for your education?

I work.

What work?

All kinds of work.

For example...

I'll be right back and tell

The trash will stink
if it stays inside the building.

Different jobs, like distributing fliers,
working in a textile factory.

We're on 7th, going to 6th.

I work in a textile factory,
as a courier on bike, on taxi,...

I was designing commercial ads
for a while, too.

Any idea what it's like
to work in a textile factory?

It means you spend away your lungs,
you waste your ears,

that's how noisy it is.
I didn't last 6 months there.

Why don't you work in the same field
as you are studying?

There's no trash on this floor...
I do work in my field of study, too.

Well...

But it all depends, you know.

Sometimes there is work

and they need ads,
and other times they don't need.

It's not like a full-time job.

Nothing is sure about it.

I don't understand
why there's no trash tonight.

We're on 5th, going to 4th.

It feels like I went on a trip with you,
Mr. Panahi...

a trip with a bad smell.

The night they stormed in here,
I was here too.

- Really?
- I swear to God.

You were here?

I come here often to take a bath
that's why.

There's no bathroom in our dorm.

I come here to my sister's place
to take a bath.

Then all of a sudden they knocked and...

I went to the door instead of Akbar...

Excuse me.

Knock on their door.
Maybe they have trash inside.

But I know, Mr. Panahi...

They'll leave it outside if they have any.

Otherwise they won't leave
anything outside.

This means they are all gone
for Fireworks tonight.

Let me see...

Oh, no!
The people on the second floor!

Why?

Now they're going to have
20 boxes of pizza.

I used to work for delivery service

and I used to deliver pizza for them
every 10 minutes.

I don't understand
how they eat all that pizza.

Wait a second.

These guys always have trash.

Hello.

I'll call you in a minute.

Bring over your trash.

Trash?

Are you staying home tonight?

I must stay home.

No, I mean you aren't
going anywhere tonight?

No, I'll be here almost all night.

Could I ask you to keep
Micky for a couple of hours?

Oh my God!
Forget it for God's sake.

Last time you left him with us
for a week.

Look at him!

He won't trouble you at all.

No, wait for Akbar
to come back.

But there's no one here tonight.
Akbar isn't here either.

Leave him with Mr. Panahi.

I did leave him with Mr. Panahi.

He didn't last more than 2 minutes.

Look. I must go now...

He won't bother you at all.

God knows if there was a way...

Either I'm going to die
till morning, or Micky will!

I'll be back in 2 hours.

Bring your trash out please.

Then you'll keep him?

No, but bring him to the lobby.

- Really?
- OK.

- So please wait for us.
- Bring him in the lobby.

- Go bring your trash now.
- OK.

Thanks a lot.

- Did you see the dog?
- Why did you mention me?

He'll be nice subject for you.

She's asking me to go inside

and pick it up!

Please don't throw any cans in the bag.

- Last time they cut my hand.
- Sure. I apologise.

Thanks a lot.

So I'll bring him in the lobby.

OK.

Some dog it is!

So, you were here
when they came that night?

Yes, they knocked...

and I went to the door for Akbar...

Excuse me, let me pick this up.

I arrived at the door...

Wait a second...

I arrived there that night...

I think it was between 8 and 10 o'clock.
I don't remember exactly.

I only remember
I was just out of the bath and I was wet.

They were knocking,
and I went to the door.

Excuse me, Mr. Panahi.

This story is a distraction.

OK. Never mind that now.

It's not just one or 2 floors.

When I opened the door...

OK, When are you going
to finish your studies?

I'm in second term.

You step outside,
so you don't get dirty.

No, you go first. I'll follow you.

Excuse me.

What are you going to do
when you finish school?

After I finish school
I have lots of things to do.

You know what I'll do first thing?

First, I'll be looking
to find a place to have peace.

I'll go in nature for a month.

I'll get away from the motorbikes,
pollution, traffic, trash...

and Micky...

I'll get away from all that.

But do you know what's the worst of all?

The worst thing is that you graduate
with a master's degree and...

then there's no job for you.

Mr. Panahi, please don't come outside.
They'll see you with the camera.

THIS IS NOT A FILM

Jafar Panahi
Moj'aba Mirtahmasb

Thanks to colleagues:

Many thanks to:

Dedicated to:

Iranian filmmakers

Digital Cinema Mastering .. XDC