“The community of poets I belong to is not as close as it used to be, if only for the fact that our lives have become busier: jobs, children, and the like.”

“Iranian filmmakers are not passive. They fight whenever they can, as creative expression means a lot to them. The restrictions and censorship in Iran are a bit like the British weather: one day it's sunny, the next day it's raining. You just have to hope you walk out into the sunshine.”