“This seems quite good, a bit familiar.’ Then I realise … It’s one of my movies. It’s a pretty odd feeling.”

Ive never actually watched another director work.

Making a film is so hard that if you don’t have your main actors going along with the ride with the rest of the crew it can make your life very difficult.

I’ve had some fantastically good people help me make the movies.

It doesn’t matter what the technology is – no one will watch a Peter Greenaway film anyway.

Well, if you ask any filmmaker how they got into it, everyone came a different route.

So fine that the Irish don’t even acknowledge that it exists.

If you’d been where I’d been… if you’d seen the things I’d seen!… you… you’d be me… Or someone following me around.

Have a go. Anybody can do it.

I was once described by one of my critics as an aesthetic fascist.

I’m a pluralist. I’ve always argued that as many different films as possible should be made.

Rain is also very difficult to film, particularly in Ireland because it’s quite fine.

A Great Movie Evolves when Everybody Has the Same Vision in Their Heads.

The films that I do tend to polarise people’s views.

I’ve always been completely autocratic. I’ve never learned to be diplomatic or democratic.

Personally I am very much against the death penalty for several reasons.

Most directors have little lists in their heads of people they really want to work with.

I loved New York — every inch of it. It was a little bit scary at that time, but still, the excitement was so strong — visually and intellectually. It was like a monster.

I think Donald Trump should cool down a little bit. To pay more attention to the history. To really understand what U.S.’s value is about. I think, as a president, those things you always have to ask.

I just want to do whatever makes me happy…Like being totally conscious. Laughing is, like, my favorite thing to do. Being with friends, having fun…being a bit daft.

Anyone would be up for a little bit of a change. It is so rewarding to do a movie, and so enjoyable. It’s hard work, but really wonderful.

I love design and actually went to school for a bit for graphic design, so it isn’t so much ‘pressure’ for me; it’s a way to be creative, and I really enjoy it.

It’s kinda cool to be a little bit of both, I think.

People want a certain amount of each. It’s just widening the market a little bit.

Somebody said that I’m a bit like a sponge, grabbing things here and there, soaking stuff up. [As a director] you have to be, really.