For the occasion of cinema's centenary, Mohsen Makmalbaf the most controversial and popular film-maker, runs casting advertisements in newspapers calling for 100 actors to audtion for parts in his new film Salam Cinema. Some 5,000 people showed up and a near riot occurs. In the next eight days Makhmalbaf auditions 1000 applicants and shoots all the procedures as the main part of his film. He probes each applicant to see why they want so desperately to be actors and to what extent they are perpared to go in order to reach their goal. Through a behind the scenes approach we discover how he works with his crew and how he is able to manipulate and effect each performance, sometimes even being manipulated himself.