I think of myself, an Iranian/American artist, and wonder what would I want if I'm ever imprisoned by the Iranian government for the work that I make? I answer: I would hope that the United States government comes to my rescue.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
As a citizen, hopefully I'm humanist. As an artist, I'm free.
I would wake up at night and think, 'What the hell have I gotten myself into? You don't want to do that!' But you gotta do something, and with art, there's freedom - which is actually very seldom practiced by artists.
If I were an innocent individual, flown to a foreign country and held for several years and tortured, I'd become a terrorist, too. I'd go to war against the U.S.
As long as I have ambition, maybe I can achieve something for my country.
I'm free - but I'm also not free because there are millions of young people living in Iran. A filmmaker can only do a little.
I'm coming out of the belly of Iran. It was the only place I was free. It's funny - when I say that, everyone is like, 'What? Freedom?' But the freedom I felt in Iran I've never felt anywhere else. Freedom of mind, freedom of time, of spirit. But after a while, you're so wounded that if you continue thinking about Iran, it will kill you.
I am an artist, and I have the ability and the free will to choose the way the world will envision me.
I'd love to break America, like all artists do. It's a lot of work but, you know, it's got to be done!
To see the Persia of poets and painters, hiding in plain sight behind the much-maligned Iran of our newspaper headlines, would be my fondest wish.
I think I really produce my best work in Iran.