Stefan, what is your drive for making movies, why use the medium of film?
I see myself as a storyteller, telling stories for the audience to listen. I think, movies are the place today's stories are being told. Because, movies are very complex, they are a chance to create new worlds, to reach into different areas, from many movies I know about makeup, or how to conduct an orchestra, etc…

Do you regret making films?
No, but when I was young I thought I'd like to paint or this and this, and this, you just don't know what will happen.

There is often a debate amongst film makers that cinema should be used to preserve cultural memory, and not just to tell stories, what's your view?
Well, storytelling is one of the primal art forms and needs of people. I think it's so important to hear and identify with protagonists; it's a very important part of being human. It’s fine to experiment but story telling is essential for humans, and so it's never out of fashion.

You won an Oscar for Best Foreign Language film, The Counterfeiters, in 2008, so what is your view on Hollywood being seen as taking over and dominating World cinema?
I think we need to think of Hollywood as a virtual place where international movies are put together. The problem is there are international movies which tend to be in English or local low budget films. I think it's important every culture has its own inherent voice. But then again, movies like Avatar, or 2012 link the world together.

For you, what makes a good film?
I think for a good film, you need an emotional involvement, if you make the audience feel something you've achieved your goal. You go to the movies for an emotional experience. If a movie grips me emotionally I feel it’s good, as long as you're not worrying about the lighting or the technicalities, then it will be a good movie.

And what are your future plans?
Well, I've fallen into the Hollywood trap, a lot of projects and contracts happening, but the contracts have one thing missing: 'when and if the movie happens'.
I am never sure which of the projects are going on.
The next movie is English language, I don't know the genre, it's quite a spectrum between period gothic horror to contemporary dramas. I just don't know which is next.

You're in Mumbai, for a very short period of time, but what's your view of Bollywood?
I know very little of Bollywood cinema, I've seen parts on TV. I think it is interesting to see if it is possible to make an interesting, intelligent combination of industry traditions.
Bollywood movies are so different to Hollywood; I think we need to learn to mix the differences in a creative way.

You're involved with Hollywood productions but where do you stand on independent cinema?
Both independent and mainstream is a good thing, there is this very dangerous tendency towards young movie goers to treat European cinema as intellectual, difficult and boring. But growing up, there was a thriving, very successful European cinema scene, for me European cinema was the mainstream. But now this doesn't exist anymore, and that's a big cultural problem.

You're extremely successful, but how would you encourage young talent?
He laughs) They don't need encouragement, enough people want to do it, and they do this for success and fame. You need both to tell your stories from the heart, and at the same time it has to be a story the audience want to hear.

And why is 'the story' really important for you?
If you tell your story only for the audience, not from the heart then it will fail, similarly if you tell your story from the heart but it's not what the audience wants to hear, there is still a problem. In Austria and Germany they tell students it is all about you, and that's only half the truth.