The film is largely autobiographic. Rita Horst and her husband Johan Leysen had lost their son Jef, who was also stillborn. Horst wrote the screenplay and directed the film to process this loss, with Leysen playing Matthijs (and thus effectively himself). The movie is dedicated to Jef.
Monique van de Ven stated in interviews that her pregnant belly during the photo shoot was achieved without prostetics. She simply pushed her belly outwards.