Jinny: I have to say the film was great.  I am going to Paris next weekend for two days, so it has provided me with a lot of material…

Julie: [laughs] Oh my god terrifying. It's not that bad. You'll have an ok time, just watch the cars and be careful.

Many may remember you for your award nomination in Before the Sunset with Ethan Hawke. How do you think this film is different?

It was very different because I think the genre is very different You know Sunset is a very romantic comedy, almost like not a comedy but more romantic movie. When this film is more of a romantic comedy rather than a film, it's darker.  If you think of this concept of French American in Paris and think about it again it's about a couple who are together for a while, when Sunset is about reuniting. They are very different films. Hopefully I have made a genre with a totally different kind of energy within the two films, and within the writing, at least for the first one.

Do you think Marion portrays your life in Paris somewhat?

Mmm…yes in a way, but at the same time I am very different from her at many levels, so it is inspired from what I know of Paris, things I've witnessed, things I have been through as well, it is inspired from things I know very well.

And you wrote the script in a few weeks?

Yes, but I thought about it for many years. I actually started writing a novel about the story, like every novel I try to write I turn it into a screenplay [laughs]

As time progressed did it change or did the foundations remain the same?

No, as I was writing it I was like you know I kind of insisted on the jealousy thing which I didn't have at the beginning. Towards the end of the film it became essential, it is an important part of the film.

Did you feel it was the right time to make it into a movie?

Yes, talking about this jealousy, I think it was kind of funny that this guy was and is totally kind of lost and on top of it. The only person he kind of knows is the worst enemy, with ideas of being unfaithful. I kind of played with that and tortured the lead guy [laughs]

How was it working with Adam Goldberg? Had you met him before?

I met him like 10 years ago, and I wrote it for him and that was great. At one point he said he was not going to be able to do it as he was stuck on a bigger film, we thought we may have to recast, but at the last minute he showed up on the film.

It is quite admirable that you did it all yourself - wrote, directed and acted.  Was it quite a lot of work and also daunting casting your family?

It was great to be able to get my family in it because both my parents are both wonderful actors.  I always wanted to write them good parts, especially a comedic part, because they have done mostly drama.  I've seen their work when they have done comedy and I just wanted to bring that out, give them a part they deserved.

Would you say you're quite liberal in your views? That seems to come across within the film?

Yes political stuff. I'm very liberal at every level, politically I am just very liberal very against racism, anti-Semitism any kind of racism. I mean I have friends from all over the world, from every different religious background and they all get along which is great to see that. It's really not about that it's about countries bringing people against each other. These bad religious leaders and all that, it's crap, when you take individuals it's all working fine, you know it's a shame but I'm very liberal in that sense.  Even in genre issues, men and women, I feel women are equal to men. They have the same rights and the same chances in life. I believe it's getting better but there are still differences.

Do you think it is descriptive of what Paris is like today? The gap between the bourgeois, and the working class?

Yes I think it is. There are two kinds of French, the French and the Gael. The Gael are the ones from 2000 years ago, and I like the Gael.  There is something very real about them and something quite annoying about the French bourgeois. It's the same in every country.  Like, I like a certain kind of American from the other kind, it's not that I dislike them but I just don't relate to them, like hard core religious people, I don't know if you saw that documentary Jesus Camp?

Yes I did.

It's like a horror movie isn't it [laughs], it's like how can you do that to children, it's like another planet.

Was it difficult filming in Paris?

It was very easy and the crew was amazing. Actually it was much easier than I thought, like you know France is very heavy on Bureaucracy and wants permits way in advance, things like that, but I had a good producer.

Do you think it helped being French?

Well my whole crew was French so it was like a French movie, with an American guy but everyone else was French but him.

Not many people could say they have acted, sang, directed and done all these creative things and been successful with them. Which have you enjoyed the most?

I enjoy everything. I love telling a story, either by a song or a screenplay, directing, editing as well, I like it all really.

Do you hope to receive an award for this film?

You know awards are something, like when we got an Oscar nomination for Before the Sunset it was a great surprise for the three of us.  I don't make movies for awards, it's nice because it's recognition but to me what's important is doing the film, to be able to make movies. If it's an award that allows you to make more movies I'd be happy.

What's next?

My next film is the Next Endeavor. I am directing in the fall, it's a drama about a Countess, it's actually about murder, cruelty, power and corruption in 15th century, it's a period drama.