KATHRYN BIGELOW

There's really no difference between what I do and what a male filmmaker might do. I mean we all try to make our days, we all try to give the best performances we can, we try to make our budget, we try to make the best movie we possibly can.

I'm interested in social commentary.

Jordan is a very secular, Westernized country in some respects.

My interest is to work in as uncompromised a way as possible.

Cinema has the capacity to be so physiological.

I don't believe in censorship in any form.

I can't stand outside myself and be anybody else.

Am I a 'woman of action'? I don't think of myself that way.

You only have so much money to shoot a movie with.

I thrive on production. It feels very much like a natural environment for me.

When he brought it to me four years ago, Rodney King had just arrived, I was involved in the clean-up of L.A. and I guess it was part of my experience.

For some individuals - some soldiers, some contractors - combat provides a kind of purpose and meaning beyond which all else potentially pales in comparison.

There's a conventional reaction when you see a star: You anticipate he'll be a part of a particular denouement down the road, so you don't worry for that character.

My dad used to draw these great cartoon figures. His dream was being a cartoonist, but he never achieved it, and it kind of broke my heart. I think part of my interest in art had to do with his yearning for something he could never have.

I'm drawn to provocative characters that find themselves in extreme situations. And I think I'm drawn to that consistently.

The Communist regime didn't consider this to be a shining moment in history and assigned no heroism to it. They classified it as merely an accident.

I'm drawn to filmmaking that can transport me. Film can immerse you, put you there.

I did a pilot for Anything But Love in 1988 that didn't sell.

Right now, there's the illusion of order and civilization, but there's a tremendous amount of economic tension in this country and the educational system is constantly eroding.

The journey for women, no matter what venue it is - politics, business, film - it's, it's a long journey.

It's totally thrilling to direct.

You have to disengage at some point in order to be fresh.

I don't want to be made pacified or made comfortable. I like stuff that gets your adrenaline going.

I like high impact movies.

I like to be strong.