Andrew Lau quotes:

I still remember 1997 when I made the movie 'Storm Riders;' that moment, a lot of American producers want to hire me to make movies in the States.

I still remember 2002. It's a very hard time for Hong Kong industry, no movies in Hong Kong, and also at this moment I start my new company, so many people said, 'You're crazy.'

Beijing is my favorite city in China.

I go to universities to talk to the students and teach them how to watch movies. Movies have so many elements - acting, music, art direction, costumes. I also tell them not to watch pirated movies. At the cinema, they can enjoy the big screen and the surround sound.

Audiences in mainland China know how to discuss movies.

We need to look to the future. You can't come up with new things unless you constantly forget the past. There's no reason to keep wearing the same pair of pants.

I want to put elements from movies into TV to raise the quality of TV.

In Hong Kong, the directors are the idea men.

I don't want to repeat myself. I don't want to shoot 10 installments of 'Infernal Affairs.'

In primary school when I was 6-7 years old, I always go to theater with my uncle, and I don't know why I like the atmosphere, dark only. The screen has some lighting, that kind of things, you can see the movie star and so that's why I like movies.

When I on set as a director I crazy. My temper is not that good.

With every movie, I try to do something different, whether it's action, comedy or drama.

So many people ask me, 'Do you like 'Departed?' I say, '50/50.'

After making a movie, maybe you weren't able to shoot many of your ideas, because a movie is only 1 1/2 or two hours long, but TV gives you space to film a lot of things.

My visuals are typically very powerful. The rhythm is fast. The cuts are fast.

When I have a chance to make some movies, I am 200 percent to concentrate about my works.

I was able to make many different kinds of movies. They enriched me on many different levels.

After Chen Zhen, I wanted to make an emotional, touching story.

I don't care about the critics.

When I go on the set, I'm so rushed. When I see the actors at rehearsal, when I love it, I want to keep the mood - my mood and the actors' mood also. So I have to push the crew faster. I don't want to lose the mood.