"Valkoinen Kaupunki" is based on the popular Finnish TV series "Irtiottoja", from which the original footage is taken. It wasn't originally supposed to be a full-length movie, but after "Irtiottoja" was shown on Finnish television, director Aku Louhimies decided to re-cut the footage.
Shot on handheld digital video with a very low budget; director Aku Louhimies estimates that the technical equipment cost less than 1,000 euros. Cinematographer Rauno Ronkainen describes the cameras used in the film as "Mickey Mouse cameras", so editing and color grading became very important.
The lead actor Janne Virtanen (Veli-Matti) and Hanna-Riikka Siitonen (the smiling woman at the bar) were married in real life. Their daughter was born in 2006, the same year as the movie came out. Siitonen's father Matti Siitonen also appears in the film as a pet shop vendor.