The Arab who played the victim was actually attacked by unknown persons in the streets of Toulon just after the shooting of the film.
According to Yves Boisset in his biography, the Arab who played the victim was nearly beaten to death by racists extras who were hired on the set for the sequence.
According to Yves Boisset in his biography, Jean Carmet was scared to death before the shooting of the rape sequence where he is the rapist. Isabelle Huppert, who pays the victim, reassured him.
Some cinema theater owners in Paris refused to project the film because they were afraid of Arab audiences who could have scared non Arab ones and provoked riots during the shows.
Jean Carmet, who impersonates Lajoie character, a nasty racist man, encountered many problems after the release of the film, because of this character. He discouraged his step daughter to become actress for this reason.