Since I come from documentary background and my father is a documentary filmmaker, for me the core essence of cinema is it's social statement. It is somewhat similar to the work of a journalist, just on a different level. This is the kind of cinema I enjoy.

Cinema for me is an area of philosophy and artistic statement.

I am very grateful that the Russian budget has a yearly budget for film. And usually this budget goes to "auteur" cinema, which actually needs this support and which indeed contributes to creating "national culture".

Age is merely a suit, and not a new dress.

I myself often feel that I have a tail in my pants. And I can see that many people do it as well, I am sure some of them simply wrap it around themselves.

For me cinema is not primarily entertainment. I don't watch fun blockbusters myself.

I think the line between "inspiration" and "plagiarism" is often so thin, that you risk falling into the latter one.