Originally intended for French television. However, French broadcasters refused to show it arguing the documentary depicted occupied France as exclusively populated by traitors.
When first released in New York, the English title was "The Sorrow and the Shame," which infuriated director Marcel Ophüls, who later explained: "In this film, there is NO shame."
In Woody Allen's film "Annie Hall" (1977), Alvy Singer talks about going to see this film.
Originally filmed and intended for standard ratio television broadcast. As a result, in the widescreen DVD version, the tops of many heads are cut off.