I’ve always been completely autocratic. I’ve never learned to be diplomatic or democratic.

I always argued against the auteur theory; films are a collaborative art form. I’ve had some fantastically good people help me make the movies.

I’m a pluralist. I’ve always argued that as many different films as possible should be made.

Rain is also very difficult to film, particularly in Ireland because it’s quite fine, so fine that the Irish don’t even acknowledge that it exists.

The films that I do tend to polarise people’s views.

I turn on the TV sometimes, start watching something and think: ‘This seems quite good, a bit familiar.’ Then I realise… It’s one of my movies. It’s a pretty odd feeling.

Making a film is so hard that if you don’t have your main actors going along with the ride with the rest of the crew it can make your life very difficult.

A lot of directors prefer the solitude of the editing process, but I revel in the craziness of what a film set is.

I was once described by one of my critics as an aesthetic fascist.

Period recreation is very difficult unless you make a black-and-white movie.

A great movie evolves when everybody has the same vision in their heads.

Personally I am very much against the death penalty for several reasons.

I’m always afraid someone’s going to tap me on the shoulder one day and say, ‘Back to North London.’

Film-making is a physically hard job.

Most directors have little lists in their heads of people they really want to work with.