Like anywhere, we had to make people understand that we were there with good intentions, and that we were there with respect. We started making contacts with the people in the neighborhood three months before shooting began, so that everyone involved was comfortable.

Sarkozy stirred controversy and outrage when he said the rioters were "scum" and should be "cleansed" from the banlieues (suburbs) with a "fire hose". Actor
Kassovitz is most famous outside France for his acting role as Nino Quincampoix in Jean-Pierre Jeunet's film Amélie.

Mathieu Kassovitz (born 3 August 1967) is a French director screenwriter producer editor and actor. Kassovitz is also the founder of MNP Entreprise a film production company.