The Serbian director has become a frequent visitor to Russia: for several years he has been president of the Spirit of Fire film festival, plans to film several projects here and often jokes about obtaining Russian citizenship. We have collected several quotes from Emir Kusturica that give an idea of how the author of “Life is a Miracle” and the Arizona Dream lives, feels and works.”
I once told my friend that every time I work on set, it’s like trying to commit suicide. Because it was always so sincere, I could never agree to make a bad film. And every time this European melancholic cinematography meets me with the energy of life, which is also destructive. My films are born between melancholy and this destructive energy, between tears and laughter, and this allows both Tolstoy and Dostoevsky to exist in my films. There really is a certain polarity between Tolstoy and Dostoevsky.
"Russian newspaper"
In general, I can never resist helping young filmmakers develop some skills that will be useful to them in the future. And at the same time see the process itself, how it happens. I try to show them by example how important it is to find your own original style. Being talented is very important, but being original is equally important. Finding your own original style is the main theme for me in the context of working with debutants.
TASS
Now I want to work in Russia and in Russian, and I think this will be the final stage of my creativity. Before the end, you can shoot three more films and one series. I want to do Vodolazkin and Gogol’s “Dead Souls.”
"Sport Express"
I have never adapted novels into films. I always filmed what I wrote myself. Now I want to film “Crime Without Punishment” because I found a good parallel between what is happening before our eyes and what happened at the beginning of the 20th century. I think I have a good script.
"Russian newspaper"
When I met with Johnny Depp, he said that he wanted to play Raskolnikov. I told him that this is impossible, because I want to do it in Serbian. He was upset and didn’t understand why I said that. He said he was ready to play in any language I wanted. But I have always believed that the root of film and literature is where it grew.
RIA News"
I personally am very close to Dostoevsky. This is due to the fact that he was interested in those things that are interesting to me. For the most part, we are talking about the marginalized - people who live outside the spotlight. He did not write about Natasha Rostova, for example. He wrote about those who came from the margins of society. From my first film to the present time, I do the same thing in my films - I talk about people who do not live “like everyone else,” who usually remain behind the scenes.
TASS
Don’t copy Hollywood, because you have your own traditions, there are sources of form that are very rich in your country. They just don't need to take Hollywood-inspired conflicts because it's pointless and doesn't reflect the reality from which we should take our themes and motivations. And I think Russia is big enough and there are a lot of problems in Russia that can inspire what kind of movie to make.
"Film Distributor's Bulletin"
I think in order to preserve a real feature film, you need to find a patron. A person who will not discuss what you are working on, who will give money for auteur films. Because the most important thing for a film is the viewer’s perception.
"Russian newspaper"
I read a lot of modern books. The last one is Michel Houellebecq, a very good French author. From the Russians - Salnikova. In general, I read many modern Russian authors - both Prilepin and Pelevin. You have very strong literature, especially about the USSR period. She creates the best and clearest image of this time.
"Sport Express"
In "Lavra" (the novel - editor's note) there is love and foolishness. Everything that I worked on in my films is in Evgeniy Vodolazkin’s work in one novel. I think the time distance - the action takes place in the 15th century - is a challenge. It won't be easy to take off. But my film, in a sense, will include everything that I created before.
"Russian newspaper"
I can’t say that life is hard right now. She is very idle now. I am 70 years old, I have lived a long time, I have seen a lot. This is probably rational. Although Dostoevsky said that although a person always wants to be rational, everything he says is never completely rational.
"Sport Express"
