I wrote this film after learning about women smugglers at the border of New York State and Canada who drive their cars across the frozen St. Lawrence River to make money to support their kids. The risk involved compelled me to write a story, not only about smuggling at the northern border, but also about what life circumstances would lead someone to take such chances–writer-director Courtney Hunt

Steve Martin once said the most exciting thing to do is to find comedy where comedy hadn‚Äôt existed before. And I loved the idea of bringing irony and humor to the human search for happiness and love–Mike Myers

In 2004, Senator Joe Biden testified before a Congressional Hearing on steroids that the use of performance-enhancing drugs by athletes is ‚Äúsimply Un-American.” I‚Äôve tried steroids and my two brothers still use them today. Is Senator Biden right Are steroids Un-American Are the Bell Brothers the Bad Guys For a country that seems obsessed with being the best at everything, how can the choice of an athlete to enhance his own performance be Un-American These are the big questions that motivated me to make the film–Christopher Bell

Cannes Film Fest 2008–In the initial script there were 204 scenes, about twice as many as a normal movie, and a 45-day shoot and a limited budget. Philip Seymour Hoffman had four different versions of age makeup that took four hours a day to put on, and six variations of wigs. I don't think I could've gone into this with any confidence if I hadn't spent time on movie sets.

Cannes Film Fest 2008–My film won the FIPRESCI prize for “Distant Voices, Still Lives” in 1988. But I never expect to win anything, and I promise that is not false modesty. I really don't. I feel like this time it is another Terence Davies who is going. I keep expecting someone to turn around and say “no, not you, you should be in the glue factory.” I really do. Any distinguished festival which will take your film — that is the prize. It is going to a festival with your film that revives your heart and spirit. But the fact that the biggest festival in the world wants it and took it makes everyone involved feel worthwhile. Considering it was made for 250,000 pounds (about $500,000), I think it's a real achievement.