As if there's a world that exists that you're semi-privy to yet can't quite penetrate - that's how it feels when you're starting a book.

When I left university I was sure that I was going to be a painter. Then I had a crisis, a revelation. I saw Dolce Vita and my mind was blown by it, by the synthesis. I realised I wanted to be a filmmaker and started making films. I was writing screenplays and couldn't get money because my work was so uncommercial. I got married and started writing fiction. What was wonderful is that it gave me my freedom because no-one can tell me I can't work. Novels have become equally important to me as films. I consider myself a storyteller and passionately engaged in both of those disciplines.

I've always been fascinated by the way that children and animals suffer stoically in a way that I don't think adults do.

There is a magic thing called 'tone' in a film, that the director must master and maintain.

Nobody is so weird others can't identify with them.

I was always very curious about other people. I would always stare and my mother would say - just please close your mouth!

It is really hard when the actor you pictured can't do the film.