The film was marketed around the theme that it would provide Canadians with insight into the victory of the Parti québécois in the 1976 Quebec general election and thus preserve national unity in the forthcoming 1980 Quebec referendum. However, the film was criticized for casting French and American, rather than Canadian, actors in its two lead roles. Aumont, in particular, was criticized for not even attempting a Québécois accent and thus sounding out of place in the film.