I prefer the countryside to cities. This is also true of my films: I have made more films in rural societies, and villages, than in towns.

I've often noticed that we are not able to look at what we have in front of us, unless it's inside a frame.

Religion works on some people but not on everyone, because it says, 'Stop thinking and accept what I tell you.' That's not valid for people who want to think and reflect.

Cinema seats make people lazy. They expect to be given all the information. But for me, question marks are the punctuation of life.

A movie is about human beings, about humanity.

In the total darkness, poetry is still there, and it is there for you.

Film is very much a universal and common voice, and we can't limit it to one particular culture.

Good cinema is what we can believe and bad cinema is what we can't believe. What you see and believe in is very much what I'm interested in.

My way of expression is full of complications and mystery because that's my perception of life.

I would be too selfish if I said everyone should see my movies more than once. To say that would mean I'm just marketing my work!

I spend a lot of time doing carpentry. Sometimes there is nothing that gives me the contentment that sawing a piece of wood does.

I worry that when you start quoting Machiavelli to justify your actions, you have ceased to be one of the good guys.

People are naturally hardworking but will stop working hard at anything if they learn from experience that their effort makes no difference.

Superstition is only the fear of belief, while religion is the confidence.

My mirror image always had to be interpreted. And for that I sought my reflection in someone else's eyes.

Jesus was either a Liar, a Lunatic, or Lord

This isn't a watercolor, it's a mural.

The normal economic system works itself.

Every man hath greater assurance that God is good and just than he can have of any subtle speculations about predestination and the decrees of God.

As you have to pay more interest and amortization on what you owe, you're left with less and less money to buy goods and services - unless you borrow even more and go further into debt.

Being rich is having money; being wealthy is having time.