Appearing Quote by Abbas Kiarostami
“My car's my best friend. My office. My home. My location. I have a very intimate sense when I am in a car with someone next to me. We're in the most comfortable seats because we're not facing each other, but sitting side by side. We don't look at each other, but instead do so only when we want to. We're allowed to look around without appearing rude. We have a big screen in front of us and side views. Silence doesn't seem heavy or difficult. Nobody serves anybody. And many other aspects. One most important thing is that it transports us from one place to another.”
About This Quote
Source Film: Close-Up, 1990
The car creates a shared, intimate space that balances connection and independence, allowing people to be together without constant eye contact.
In simple terms: Cars let us be close yet free.
Key Takeaway
Use travel to foster relaxed companionship.
Themes
intimacy
independence
shared space
Mood
reflective
contemplative
Type
observational
social
When to use this quote
- road trips
- daily commutes
- carpooling
- family outings
Key Concepts
social dynamics
environmental design
mobility
Questions to Reflect On
- How does the car’s layout affect your sense of closeness?
- When do you prefer eye contact versus peripheral awareness?
A Different Perspective
Not all passengers feel comfortable with side‑by‑side silence; some prefer direct interaction.
![“We don't look at each other [in the car], but instead do so only when we want to. We're allowed to look around without appearing rude. We have a big screen in front of us and side views. Silence doesn't seem heavy or difficult.” quote by Abbas Kiarostami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/441/abbas-kiarostami-2631_appearing_we-don-t-look-at-each-other-in-the-car-b_2570771.jpg)
![“It was a film that I knew, that I had seen, that I was familiar with, but I wasn't anxious about it at any point during the screening. I snoozed twice, and this is something I couldn't have imagined that I would feel detached, as I did with this film [Certified Copy].” quote by Abbas Kiarostami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/533/abbas-kiarostami-2631_anxious_it-was-a-film-that-i-knew-that-i-had-see_155328.jpg)
![“When the film [Certified Copy] was in the Cannes Festival, I realized that the fact of having it shot in a different culture, in a different language, in a different setting, that wasn't mine and that I didn't belong to, gave me a totally different relationship to the film. When I was sitting in…” quote by Abbas Kiarostami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/eb3/abbas-kiarostami-2631_audience_when-the-film-certified-copy-was-in-the_200718.jpg)
