As with the novel, the film blends a number of scenes set at war with depictions of the formative experiences from childhood that have led Robert to enlist, including his relationships with his disabled sister Rowena (Ann-Marie MacDonald) and their parents (William Hutt and Martha Henry).
[3] Shooting began in May 1981 near Longview, Alberta,[3] but within days Phillips had to revise the production schedule due to unforeseen late snowfall in the area.
[6] While theatrical distribution in North America and the United Kingdom was still in flux, a subtitled version of the film was broadcast on German television in March 1983.
[10] Following its brief initial theatrical run, the film was not seen for over 35 years, until it was unearthed and licensed by the Canada Media Fund for distribution on the Encore+ YouTube channel in 2020.
[12] It was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Editing (Tony Lower), Best Overall Sound (Hans Peter Strobl), and Best Screenplay (Findley).