Ten

There are many mixtures between documentary and fiction – [based upon] TRUE STORIES comprises various examples – but in this latest film by the Iranian grandmaster Abbas Kiarostami, the mixture is redefined and taken to even dizzier heights. In all looks very simple. A woman drives her car along the streets of Teheran. In the passenger seat beside her, several women ride at different times and, on occasions, her little son. The woman talks with her passengers about life, divorce, sex, education and wearing a headscarf. These are all difficult subjects in Iran, you could say, but the woman does not seem to bat an eyelid. The film is very simply shot on digital video. Two tiny cameras are stuck to the dashboard. One pointing at the driver and one at the passenger. Shot and cross shot. Film can be that simple. And that effective.The conversations filmed all look natural and improvised and therefore documentary. However the dramatic buildup of the conversations and the rich approach to the scenes suggests a writing or at least guiding hand. In ten simple scenes (counting down from 10 to 1) Kiarostami shows just how eloquent simplicity can be. Simplicity graces the master.