Kiarostami continues to be an enigma for most cinephiles partly due to his own conscious attempts at concealment and prevarication. The article attempts to clarify his political, ideological and philosophical positions and contextualize his output within the dynamics of Iranian capitalism. Beginning with an investigation of his film techniques (including his use of framing, sound, image and music) I will discuss his attitude toward nationalism, psychology and religion. I end by suggesting reasons for his popularity outside Iran.