Albert Dupontel dedicated this movie to three people:
- Bertrand Tavernier, a French director and movie lover, who was giving him lists of movies to watch right until his death;
- Jean-Paul Belmondo, an iconic French actor whose "joie de vivre" greatly impressed him;
- Michel Deville, a French director who cast him in his movie, La maladie de Sachs (1999), and thus gave him value as an actor, after the release of Dupontel's first movie, Bernie (1996), made Dupontel feel depressed and outcast in the French movie business.
Ms. Pove's name comes from the English acronym POV, as the movie needed a narrator outside the conspiracy, to provide an outside perspective.
Mercier's name comes from famous French Resistance fighter Jean Moulin's code name.
Robard's name comes from famous actor Jason Robards, especially his role in All the President's Men (1976).
Albert Dupontel was inspired by Bobby Kennedy for President (2018) to make this movie, particularly Bobby Kennedy's Indianapolis speech when he announces the death of Martin Luther King. In it, he saw the emotional power of an improvised, yet sincere political speech, and wondered "What if Robert Kennedy had said nothing about his true political and social aspirations?". His heroic and resigned determination was the starting point for the creation of the character of Pierre-Henry Mercier.
The character of Gus was written specifically for Nicolas Marié, making it his eighth collaboration with Albert Dupontel as director.
Sandrine Kiberlain, who was in Albert Dupontel's 9 mois ferme (2013), was supposed to play Ms. Pove, but Cécile de France was cast instead.