Quotes

[on why he's proud of the Czech Republic]: "Because it lies right in the center of Europe, because of the historical multi-nationalism and multiculturalism that has always been present in our country, it has generated a huge number of talented and competitive people who were and, after all, still are pragmatic enough to survive while retaining discernment with the necessary dash of humor. Fortunately, there has always been and still is a large segment of the population that is willing to pay a far greater price for the noblest values than most people can even imagine."

[on why he's rarely giving interviews]: "Previous experiences have disappointed or even disgusted me in the vast majority of cases, because the interpretation of what I said was misunderstood, distorted, twisted, simplistic, purposeful, distorted, out of context, untrue, tabloid... I was terribly depressed every time."

[on Innocence (2011)]: "It's about being responsible for every second of our lives. That nothing excuses us of guilt and responsibility for what we have ever done, even if it was a long time ago, even if we were young, even if we were unable to see the consequences, and even if it was out of love. We have to pay for everything in our lives. I think this film is interesting and remarkable, not only in the context of Czech cinema, but also in the context of Jan Hřebejk's work."