According to director Mika Kaurismäki, movie was supposed to be much bigger production with bigger names playing Jake and Doaiva, but unnamed female star got ill and had to cancel her appearance. Thus project lost half of its funding and male star pulled out also. Jolyon Baker and Fanny Bastien were attached just few weeks before shooting started.
Fanny Bastien had an accident with an all-terrain vehicle during shooting, which caused a cut in her forehead. Luckily she was supposed to have a cut in next scene.