I guess all the directors in France are influenced by Hitchcock, because he's the perfect visual director, in my eyes.

I like to shoot beautiful things. My two previous movies were one in the '60s, the other one in the '50s, and this one is in the '20s. This is a period that's very cinegenic. The cars, the props, the suits, the haircuts, the dresses, everything, and it gives you pleasure to compose frames with that material. The music, I really love jazz, so for me, when you have good materials and nice things, it's very pleasant.

I am unusual for a Frenchman - I have absolutely nothing against the United States.

It's about storytelling. The story is told through images. So with the cast, I had to make sure that the emotions were readable without sound... I know some great actors, if you turn off the sound, you don't really know what they're saying

I guess all the directors in France are influenced by Hitchcock, because he's the perfect visual director, in my eyes.

There's always been a struggle with filmmakers between art and industry, and you have to find a balance

Bernard Herrmann was a genius, a great, great composer.