You just never give up, no matter how hard the challenges are, and observe this world with a healthy dose of criticism and don't just follow the herd like somebody else might do.

In Finland, getting a university degree is the first thing that you expect your kids to do.

It proved to be pretty impossible to get funds for a feature film in Finland. It's still small, but the film industry was miniscule at that point in the early '80s.

I did some film reviews for small papers in Finland and things like that to be able to keep living here.

I loved movies and went to see every movie I could in Finland.

Eventually, in '84, we made a film for a little over a million dollars - with American actors that was shot in English - that was shown in Finland A little action film called Born American.

I went out to some advertising agencies and asked if I could do anything.

I loved cutting together simple commercials about margarine or soft drinks - all kinds of silly products - but I tried to make the commercials different.

I became a real Shell Motor Oil expert, and I did this 25-minute film. It turned out really well and, as a result, they offered me more work and lots of commercials to direct.

I was making films when I was about 12 years old - Super-8 films.

I feel like I learned very early on that your heroes are only as powerful as your villains. And I'm attracted to intelligent villains.

At some point, you're no longer growing up, you're aging. But no one can pinpoint that moment exactly.

In any event, I don't believe in instant philosophy, because interesting problems take a long time to understand and work out. Just think of the problems of truth and justice.

Katie, 90% of the things you worry about don't happen, and the 10% that do, you can't do anything about.

[Writing] has helped me meet people.

Living in memories is an empty gesture.

I get bored in Hollywood.

His kisses were gifts. He kissed with everything he had, with power and passion and hunger and love. He held nothing back, giving everything, exposing everything.

Love draws forth love.

The crisis that we inherit when we come to power will be the occasion for fundamental change and not the excuse for postponing it