Trailer for A Cross The Universe by Justice

Out today is a new DVD for French dance band Justice, which follows the band on a 20-day tour across the US. The film fits neatly into the rock n' roll tour film genre, as it documents the daily antics of the band which include plentiful sex, alcohol, fighting, guns, fans and even an drunken impromptu marriage in Las Vegas between one half of Justice, Gaspard, and a random female fan.

The film is shot by previous Justice collaborators So-Me and Romain Gavras. Gavras was behind the controversial video for Justice track Stress, which saw a young gang rampaging across Paris, attacking everything in sight. The video, while an uncomfortable watch, was acclaimed by the industry and recently picked up the Best International Video award at the UK Music Video Awards. Gavras' ability to make you feel as if you right in amongst the action is evident again here - CR talked to him about his experience of making the film.

CR: At one point during the film, Xavier from Justice says "I don't really understand what you're trying to do." What do you think you were trying to do with this film?

RG: Trying to make justice become the coolest band on earth.

CR: Tour movies contain certain clichés – girls, sex, alcohol, fans, violence, etc. How do you keep this format fresh?

RG: Well, I don't know if the format is fresh here. But even if they all are clichés, the key words like 'girls, sex, alcohol, fans, violence' are always cool. If you tell me okay, this DVD contains 'girls, sex, alcohol, fans, violence', you can be sure I'm gonna buy it.

CR: What cameras did you shoot the film with?

RG: Well, this is kind of my secret – So-Me and I had one camera each, it's a really small full HD with 16 mm lens (really small, from documentary cameras of the 70's), the camera is no bigger than a melon, they are made by only one shop in the world in Hong Kong.

CR: Your video for Justice’s track Stress became very controversial – has this impacted on the type of films you make for the band?

RG: Not really, the video was not out when we shot the film. But Justice, So-Me and I have the same taste for cool things such as girls, sex, alcohol, fans, violence.

CR: Do you feel you have to come up with something equally edgy to continue the image of the band that was created with Stress?

RG: Once again, some people find it edgy, I find it cool.

CR: Did you feel any sense of responsibility for the furore that video caused?

RG: Not really, as an artist I think it's my duty to be irresponsible, responsible people are boring, they eat tofu and like Tom Hanks and Coldplay.

CR: Did the band give you total freedom to film whatever you wanted? Were there many moments they decided not to include?

RG: Well the film was made by So-Me and I, and except for a part where we went hunting in Texas and killed animals, it was really fun and cool. But they didn't wanted to put that in it, so i guess it wasn't total freedom.

CR: The tour bus driver turned out to be a great character – when did you decide to let him do the voiceovers too?

RG: Towards the end, I asked him to tell us what happened during the three weeks into a microphone, he is like magic. I could listen to him forever.

CR: Has Gaspard heard from his wife since Las Vegas?

RG: Haha nope, he didn't marry her out of love tho, he was really drunk, and she was too.