Mercy's Girl is Emily Lape's first work as a Director.
Mercy's Girl was inspired by Ken Loach's Sweet Sixteen, Kore-eda Hirokazu's Nobody Knows, Korean arthouse films and Italian Neo-Realism. Emily Lape purposefully strayed from modern movie formulas instead she intentionally worked to a create slow pace in the development of the film's story. With a focus being on realism, Mercy's Girl was intentionally shot without set lighting and musical composition, creating an effect contrary to most of American modern cinema.
Mercy's Girl was written and filmed just prior to legalized same sex marriage in the United States.