"Perhaps if you took a wonderful American director and brought him here, he might have some problems with us."

An American director would never have devoted so much time to what is, after all, a matter of public transportation.

That's the beautiful thing about a lot of the new, experimental American directors.

"I do feel a responsibility for developing young American directors," he says.

"But sometimes foreign directors can drop in and see our country clearer than an American director."

I think there are very few American directors who really have that kind of experience.

American directors also respected him the way the Europeans did.

Several American directors were considered three years earlier before the film was shelved.

"All this just to shake hands with a few American directors and actors," he said.

American directors suddenly began to document and deliberate as never before.