“I’ve always had a good relationship with producers mainly because I used to be one. I know how to spend money. So when I ask for something Proacci knows I really need it. Part of the talent of being a filmmaker is knowing what you really need. You can’t have everything. ”

“It's important to always tell the story of human people, so that it's important to be close and follow and understand their actions. Sometimes I can disagree or agree, but it's always important for me to understand. It's important also that the actor bring something to the character and I am always free to betray the screenplay in some way.”

”For me, cinema is about expression more than information.”

Matteo Garrone’s father was a theatre critic and a photographer.  Garrone himself, first trained as a painter and worked for some time in this field. He credits this training with his ability to visualise in film.   In 1996 he turned to film and made a very successful short film entitled Silhouette, which gave him the opportunity to move into feature films.  His films so far have been ‘heavy’ and not very optimisitic.  So much so that he talks of next making a comedy.