Ang Lee

I think the book struck me in a few ways that I thought very interesting to pick it as my first martial arts film. It has a very strong female character and it was very abundant in classic Chinese textures.

I did a women's movie, and I'm not a woman. I did a gay movie, and I'm not gay. I learned as I went along.

Making movies is a way of understanding myself and the world.

I grew up pretty peacefully, in that Eastern way. You easily solve problems, believe in harmony. Reduce conflicts, take orders until one day you give orders.

My mother loves me and everything goes well. I have no conflict with her, so that's not dramatic.

In the past I've made movies that were pretty universally liked. You can't really hate them. You can discard them, but you can't really hate them.

There's only one movie in my career I've had regrets with cutting it shorter, and I think some scenes maybe I shouldn't have cut.

I think the American West really attracts me because it's romantic. The desert, the empty space, the drama.

I do like challenge.

On a Chinese film you just give orders, no one questions you. Here, you have to convince people, you have to tell them why you want to do it a certain way, and they argue with you. Democracy.

Many times when you make a movie, it feels like your biggest mistake. But even if a film isn't a hit, you shouldn't view it as a mistake.

Kids don't even read comic books anymore. They've got more important things to do - like video games.