It's nice to represent to other people in the world that Americans actually do know what's happening in the world, can speak other languages and are conscientious. The perception quite often is that we don't know what's beyond our county line.

I have tremendous faith that there will be greater films to come.

If you have something really important you want to say, you have to read your audience, I guess.

I don't think I'd ever write anything that I don't also direct just because it's so hard and painful to write as it is.

I've been wanting to make a movie about the war in Sierra Leone, specifically, for more than 15 years.

I do want to direct a movie from horseback one day.

I don't really see a huge divide between filmmaking and television. In the end, a lot of people are going to be watching this stuff on their laptops and their iPhones anyway. So, it doesn't really matter where it comes from, as long as the stories get told.