“In Kurdistan, theres a lot of hardship – a lot of wars, a lot of bitter and difficult lifestyles. And witnessing all those made me a director.”

I use humour a lot. My foundation is tragic, but my appearance is humorous.

I always loved music, and I always wanted to make a film about it, but I could never do it because of the censorship that was around.

I had no education in filmmaking. I started with a 8mm camera. I made 34 films, and little by little I gained more experience in filming.

Im free – but Im also not free because there are millions of young people living in Iran. A filmmaker can only do a little.

You need a team that speaks your language.

I used to believe that people are only born once, but now I feel I have been reborn, like I was given a new life. I see myself as a child, full of energy and hope.

Actually, the only thing I regret is not making more underground films and bringing them with me as historical documents.

I love music, I make films with music, I eat with music, I sleep with music, I think with music. Music makes me dream, it strengthens my creativity.

For me, its better to live without looking over your shoulder, worrying about who is controlling your phone, maybe poisoning your food.

Casting directors now just see me as the hard-core sniper or prison guard.

I’m an unusual director in that my cut is usually shorter then the final released film. I like short films.

If the United States is to produce a nation of investors-as we must if we are to gain financial world-leadership-it is imperative that boards of directors be so constituted as to adequately represent the interests and inspire the complete confidence of investors of moderate substance.

Everyone can do a character the way they want to do it, unless the director tells them not to, which isn’t very common.

I’m a believer in trusting the director.

What I like about being an actress is that it keeps you feminine. Being a director and producer makes you manly and very masculine and I don’t like that quality in a woman. But I’ll do it when the film is very close to me.

David O. Russell is probably my favorite filmmaker. He’s not only a great director, but he’s also a great writer.

When I write something, I want the best director to direct it. And that’s not going to be me.