"I had to choose between American and British actors, and it didn't take me more than a second to decide: Russians are Europeans and should be played by other Europeans"

This quote by Jean-Jacques Annaud talks to the concept of cultural representation in movie. He is recommending that when casting for a movie, it is very important to think about the cultural background of the characters and to cast stars who are from the same cultural background. He is specifically describing the casting of Russian characters, and he thinks that they ought to be played by other Europeans, instead of American or British stars. This quote speaks with the value of cultural representation in film, and how it can be used to accurately depict the culture of the characters. It likewise speaks with the idea of cultural appropriation, and how it can be avoided by casting actors from the exact same cultural background as the characters. By doing this, it can help to create a more precise and authentic representation of the culture in the movie.