While the federal politicians invited to the Montreal World Film Festival premiere of National Matters — a documentary that explores why Quebec isn’t independent yet — were no-shows, the province’s sovereignty movement had front-row seats.

Bloc Québécois leader Gilles Duceppe, Parti Québécois leader Pauline Marois and former Quebec premier Bernard Landry attended Monday’s sold-out screening of the low-budget doc, which was made for just over $200,000.

‘Even though this documentary doesn’t promote Quebec sovereignty, I think federalists would rather not talk about the issue at all,’ says the film’s co-director Roger Boire.

Directed and produced by Boire and Jean-Pierre Roy, National Matters takes a look at separatist movements in Quebec, Scotland and Catalonia in Spain.

The film includes interviews with Landry, Duceppe and well-known Quebec academics Louis Balthazar and Guy Laforest, who postulate about why, after two referendums, the French-speaking province remains just that. (According to the directors, 110 new independent countries have been formed in the last 50 years).

Among the reasons put forward for the province’s hesitation are its prosperity and relative autonomy, and its location in a ‘sea of English,’ the term many Quebecers use to describe the North American continent.

‘If Quebec doesn’t separate it will be the end of its culture,’ offers Duceppe in the doc, adding, ‘Assimilation. That’s what will happen.’

The film also followed the progress of the Scottish National Party, which, after promising to hold a referendum on Scottish independence in 2010, formed the government in Scotland in 2007.

Landry tells Playback Daily that National Matters is an important addition to the debate over Quebec sovereignty. ‘I strongly defend an idea. I always will. And I hope Quebecers will one day come to the same conclusion. And films like this are a necessary part of that process.’