Abbas Kiarostami Quote

Believe me, I am still very surprised that I managed to make that film [Close-Up]. When I actually look back on that film, I really feel that I was not the director but instead just a member of the audience. Because the film 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.

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2005/apr/28/hayfilmfestival2005.guardianhayfestival