“Since I come from the Hollywood tradition of telling a good story, of presenting good characters, I want to make sure the film is working emotionally. I want to make sure it is seen by as many people as possible, so it’s not just going to be shown at festivals. That’s because I respect my audience. They deserve a thought-provoking film. If you have something to say, make sure people will listen to it. Else, why make a movie?”

“I work with actors for a very long time in an attempt to achieve a certain kind of truth through a process. Then, even if the human being behind the character, behind the actor has all kinds of thoughts and opinions, these slowly disappear and he turns more and more into the character that he embodies. I don't want symbols on the screen. I don't want actors who think they represent the whole Palestinian nation or the whole Israeli nation. I want human beings.“

“Every society deals with issues of tradition, of progress versus religion, of authoritarian fathers and family troubles, of troubles with the police. These are familiar elements, and everyone relates them to the place where they live. I make movies for people everywhere in the world. In this respect, I did not feel strange dealing with a story that is not from my immediate environment. Either you tell a true story or you do not.”

Eran Riklis was born in Israel, but his father who was a scientist worked for five years at Columbia University in New York, and then for one year at Yale and so Riklin spent some of his childhood in the USA - then in Brazil where he went to an American school.  He studied film at Tel Aviv University and also at Beaconsfield National Film School in England.  He made his first film, a political thriller, On a Clear Day You Can See Damascus in 1984.  Cup Final (1991) was a hit at several international festivals and his 1993 film Zohar was a big hit in Israel.  The Syrian Bride was, however, his first real international hit.  He lives in Tel Aviv with his wife and two children and is said to regard himself as a world director rather than an Israeli one.  Like most directors who need to live, he has also worked in television and in making commercials.