Quotes

It was like an army operation... We understood from the very beginning that Russia needs big, ambitious and brave film-making. Before us, there was only art-house - great, talented movies for European festivals - and very bad, very cheap and creatively weak commercial movies.

...but the most powerful special effect is the actor. All the visual style is an extension of character.

[on producing Hardcore Henry (2015)] Sharlto [Sharlto Copley] was a big part of the plan. He's very creative. His first movie, District 9 (2009), was a really good example of collaboration between actor and director. And I knew he was brave. I had invited him to go to Kazakhstan for a small film festival and he jumped on a plane and came. I figured he would be very, very important for Ilya [director Ilya Naishuller]. Producing is about the people you choose. Choosing the right people is about 90% of producing. (...) The sense of humor is really, really important. I understood that Ilya has a very similar sensibility as Sharlto. "District 9" also had this mischievous tone but at the same time was very emotional and heartbreaking. Ilya had the same taste, so that collaboration made this movie. [2016]

[on Hardcore Henry (2015)] There is no way a studio would make this movie. I'm the only crazy person in the world who can agree to greenlight the project with no script and have the language to make the movie not exist. It's a challenge, but it's why we make movies. (...) My only motivations are challenge and curiosity. If I don't know how to do something, then I'm doing it. [2016]

[how Hardcore Henry (2015) got made] As usual, we all live on the Internet. I'm spending probably a third of my life in front of a screen. I found this music video Ilya [director Ilya Naishuller] made and immediately found him through Facebook just to meet him, to talk to him out of curiosity. I asked him if he wanted to do it as a movie and at first he said he doesn't feel it could be a movie because it's a very specific language. But we kept talking and I asked if he wanted to see it as a story on the big screen and he said absolutely. We discussed what it could be and he found a story. (...) My role was mostly to protect him, to give him freedom to do what he wants. For this specific kind of movie, you do need that freedom. Because I'm a director myself and I understand how important it is to have a chance. I'm learning. To make a movie is an excuse to meet people and find new friends and new partners, the same thing has happened in my life many times. It happened in 2009 with Shane Acker and 9 (2009), it happened last year with Unfriended (2014). It's most exciting for me to deal with young filmmakers and figure out how to make innovative movies. [2016]