For Greek cinema, this is a very high-budget film. Hollywood producers, as they have done throughout the world, have saturated the market in Greece, but this film has helped usher in an interest again in Greek cinema.

In my experience there are billions of dollars available for pieces of shit. As soon as the material distinguishes itself by something interesting, financing becomes a problem.

When less than everything has been said about a subject, you can still think on further. The alternative is for the audience to be presented with a final deduction (...) no effort on their part.
What can it mean to them when they have not shared with the author the misery and joy of bringing an image into being?

Directing, I realize, on film is far more personal, you know. Cinema really is a director's medium. This is a very personal film.

I'm confident that this festival will help redefine our film industry and put us on the map of world cinema.

That was my one big Hollywood hit, but, in a way, it hurt my picture career. After that, I was typecast as a lion, and there just weren't many parts for lions.