Of her role as Joleen, Charlize Theron said, "I have to say that I really like the idea of playing somebody who was a flawed mother. She's an uncomfortable character, yet to me, very real. There are women out there who are just not good mothers, and Jolene is one of them."
The working title for this production was "Ferris Wheel."
Overture Films acquired domestic distribution rights for $4 million at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. Purchase was based on 45 minutes of footage from the uncompleted film.
Filming began in October 2006 in the municipalities of Moose Jaw and Regina, both of which are located in Saskatchewan, Canada. The shooting schedule was 30 days long, often under sub-zero conditions.