Wolfgang Petersen is a German film director, producer and screenwriter. He was nominated for two Academy Awards for the World War II submarine warfare film Das Boot. 

I have two Golden Boot awards at home. It would be nice to win another, but I wouldn’t mind it if I didn’t.

When I win awards, I think of my father.

There's that unwritten schism that literary writers get all the awards and commericals writers get all the success.

My tastes in all things lean towards the arty and boring. I like sports documentaries about Scrabble players bands that play quiet unassuming music and TV shows that win awards. In that way I am an elitist snob.

There's been a slow death in a way. On the positive side there are films getting into the Academy Awards that wouldn't have but on the negative side financiers are now dominant and making all the decisions. I can't count the ways a director's vision is compromised.

I feel very blessed to have two wonderful healthy children who keep me completely grounded sane and throw up on my shoes just before I go to an awards show just so I know to keep it real.

It's not just the 'Grammys' that I've pulled out of. I also pulled out of the English awards as well. The reason that I wanted to pull out was because I believe very much that the music industry as a whole is mainly concerned with material success.

Now there are so many movies so many festivals and so many awards going on each judged with each other like your work is worse than others and that's not fair. How can you tell what's best and what's worst from these awards? We're talking about art.

Awards were made in Hollywood in whatever the time it was created. They're to promote each other's movies. You give me an award I give you an award and people will believe that we are great movies and they'll go to see them. It's still the same.

It's not just about filming you go to awards and interviews too. I enjoy all of it even learning my lines!

I prefer to win titles with the team ahead of individual awards or scoring more goals than anyone else. I'm more worried about being a good person than being the best football player in the world. When all this is over what are you left with? When I retire I hope I am remembered for being a decent guy.

I never make a movie for awards consideration. I will use the hope of getting an Academy Award a) to honor the people who work so hard and also b) it's the greatest Good Housekeeping seal in the world. It's the greatest brand. It's as good as Louis Vuitton and Dior in the world of moviemaking. It's the Super Bowl.

I've been a very lucky guy. I played on championship teams. I played for Canada. I've won some awards and I'm very proud of those accomplishments. But I don't think there's anything greater than to come home and to be recognized at home. This is the pinnacle.

I can only point out a curious fact. Year after year the Nobel Awards bring a moment of happiness not only to the recipients not only to colleagues and friends of the recipients but even to strangers.

I always had a larger view. I'm interested in real life - my family my friends. I have tried never to define myself by my success whatever that is. My happiness is way beyond roles and awards.

Happiness does not come from football awards. It's terrible to correlate happiness with football. Happiness comes from a good job being able to feed your wife and kids. I don't dream football I dream the American dream - two cars in a garage be a happy father.

Great big serious novels always get awards. If it's a battle between a great big serious novel and a funny novel the funny novel is doomed.

No matter how popular you are as a stand-up - you can go out and fill a 10 000-seat arena and be smart and funny - it's delicate to host an awards show and know where your place is and know that it's not about you that it's about the people who are nominated and respect that but at the same time have your moment to show them who you are.

My goals have changed throughout my life. At one time it was winning awards selling out concert dates selling more albums than anyone else. Now my goals are to see my grandchildren grown live a long and healthy life with my family and friends and travel the world.

Most of an award-show host's job is showing up and keeping a cool head and soldiering through it whether it's the Oscars or the Hallmark Channel's 'Hero Dog Awards.'

Just because you've made a couple movies you've done some good movies you've been nominated for some Academy Awards whatever nobody's entitled. It's a business. If they don't see it I can think they're wrong but I'm not entitled to a $15 million budget to make a film.

The Academy Awards was an amazing night. I know I kind of lost my mind a little bit. I apologize for that. That night went so fast I can't remember what I said or what happened.

You get moments all the time that kind of make you pinch yourself some of them make you quite emotional. Winning a BRIT was a big moment because we were just so excited to be at the awards in the first place. Selling out Madison Square Garden was pretty amazing too. Then we woke to the news that our UK tour was sold out. It was crazy.