It was a subject [ volcanoes] that was dormant in me for a long time and it popped up 40 years ago when I made a [short] film on the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe about a volcano that was about to explode and a single farmer refused to leave ["La Soufrière"].

Orson Welles, one of the best of the best. One of the strongest. As strong as an animal. He somehow was pushed out of the business because he would spend the entire budget of the film before he had even done half the pre-production.

I know whenever it comes to be really dysfunctional and vile and base and hostile on screen, I'm good at that.

I make films because I have not learned anything else and I know I can do it to a certain degree. And it is my duty because this might be the inner chronicle of what we are. We have to articulate ourselves, otherwise we would be cows in the field.

Gaining trust is not difficult for me. I needed to gain the trust of the North Korean supervisors.

I think I'm a prudent filmmaker.

I travel without barely any luggage. Just a second set of underwear and binoculars and a map and a toothbrush.