The Assumption of Empire is ‘in search of lost time’, exploring where the political and the personal intersect in a world rocked by violence and dizzying change, sometimes all too close to home. Taking place in and around Montreal from 1978 to 2008, The Assumption of Empire spans the Revolution in Iran, the 1st referendum for independence in Quebec, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Dawson shooting and the election of Obama. These events form the backdrop for the life of Sophie Wiseman, who is taken back in time when she learns of the mysterious death of her ex-husband’s wife.