Not a word of the script was changed during production. The film was shot exactly as it was written, word for word.
Loosely based on personal experiences of director Michael Haneke. His aunt suffered a degenerative disease and the paintings seen in the movie are owned by Haneke's parents.
Emmanuelle Riva auditioned along with many other older French actresses for the role of Anne. The scene used during the audition was the first breakfast scene when Anne has her first attack. Michael Haneke said that he found Riva most realistic and moving during that scene and cast her in the film.
The film was shot completely on a constructed set. The windows were green screen and were digitally added later.
Existing Cannes Festival rules preclude the possibility of one film winning multiple awards. Hence, Amour won only one single award at Cannes 2012, the Palme D'or, in spite of the jury deeming it worthy of other awards as well. Jury President Nanni Moretti later told director Michael Haneke that had it only been up to him, he would have awarded the film not just the Palme D'or, but Best Actor for Jean-Louis Trintignant, Best Actress for Emmanuelle Riva and Best Director and Best Screenplay to Michael Haneke. Ironically, Michael Haneke himself was responsible for getting the rules changes allowing one film to win only one major award when in 2001, his film La pianista (2001) won 3 major awards at the Cannes Film Festival of that year - the Grand Jury Prize, Best Actress and Best Actor.