I come from a documentary background and my natural tendency, as a filmmaker, is to make a movie, if I have something to talk about. If it's not about anything that matters, I don't feel like doing it. I'm not against people who make movies just for fun, but I'm not one of those guys. I just want to provoke thinking and debating about certain issues.
Jose PadilhaThe way that I sort of direct the writers is, let's do the best story we can. Let's not worry about production issues. 'How much will that cost? How are we going to shoot that?' Let's not set up those constraints on the writing. I don't think it helps the project to work like that.
Jose PadilhaIf you replace a soldier with a machine, you take away the possibility of the soldier or the policeman to not do something the state asks of him. He may think it's unethical to do it. A machine doesn't have that critical perspective.
Jose PadilhaI have to be clear with myself and very conscious of what I am trying to say. Misunderstandings will always take place; it's unavoidable.
Jose PadilhaTelevision is so cool. Television is proving that we can be sophisticated and that people will watch, if it's good.
Jose Padilha