The film from the beginning is not the real world; it's an imaginary world. And this imaginary world is both inside and outside the normal world.

When I was a child, I had a quiet, protected childhood.

With digital, you can shoot longer, take more risks.

I had good parents. Nothing terrible happened. But I had the feeling that they kind of protected me from reality somehow.

I am very much interested in fairy tales. I guess that most of the films I like to do have this kind of aspect.

Maybe our Earth is totally alone in the universe.

I try to simplify things for the children. For instance, [I arrange] for them to have almost no dialogue, or to somehow give them very precise indications, because usually they ask for that.

I try to simplify things for the children.

I'm very interested in talking about children in this moment where you are going to become a teenager, and I think it's very relevant to use a fairy tale to talk about that.

I don't have storyboards, but I have some very strict rules, like not moving the camera.

When you reduce a woman to writing, she makes you think of a thousand other women

I don't *ever* write about real people. Art is supposed to be better than that. If you want a slice of life, look out the window.

Tonight I'm stepping lightly and I'm feeling no pain.

People thought me a bit strange at first; a blond haired, blue-eyed Norwegian who sang Mexican folk songs, but I used it to my advantage and got a job. And so the music became my ticket to education.

In the world of love, it takes more than love to make someone happy

At any given moment, there is always a line representing what your boss will believe. If you step over it, you will not get your budget. Go as close to that line as you can.

The great eventful Present hides the Past; but through the din Of its loud life hints and echoes from the life behind steal in.

Peace in the Middle East isn't going to be created by another war or violent act on the other side.

Mrs Dalloway is always giving parties to cover the silence

I want a song that raises the hair on the back of my neck when I sing it live and I want to feel it every time.