Reflexivity in Recent Iranian Cinema: The Case of Mohsen Makhmalbaf

My intention in this essay is to analyze the use of reflexivity in the films of director Mohsen Makhmalbaf, within the context of recent Iranian cinema. To begin, filmic reflexivity is marked by the following elements: -foregrounding the mode of production through a formal or stylistic gesture (such as the use of an iris effect to refer to silent film) or through stylistic virtuosity; -foregrounding the mode of production by revealing the cinema apparatus (i.e., presence of the camera, light poles, clapper, etc.); -exposing the artist as the maker of meaning in any of the two ways above or by referencing the artist's own life history; -alluding to previous films or filmmakers, to either announce a source of influence, to pay homage, or to add a layer of meaning to the film's text.