The dialogue is often no more than one end of a telephone call, during which we see only the lone vehicle speeding across the landscape. You will no doubt hear this film described as magic realism, or as an Iranian take on Chekhov. Think of it more as a parable with small truths rather than miracles. Forced into a series of encounters with ordinary people, a man slowly begins to listen to something besides his cell phone. Images help tell the story.
Figures are tiny against wheat fields, hills, and mountains in the background.
The village is practically silent. Kiarostami silhouettes his characters against light and shadows on the terra cotta walls of the village buildings, or against the sky, reminding us that they are part of something much larger. The director credits himself as editor on the film, as he should. The image never jumps or propels itself forward to keep the viewer's attention. Shots are constructed so characters can walk and talk endlessly while the camera and the landscape are motionless.