François Truffaut's script positioned the lead character Janine Castang as a female counterpart of Antoine Doinel in Os Incompreendidos (1959). In fact, Truffaut's original vision for that film was to tell the parallel stories of Antoine and Janine.
Upon rewriting François Truffaut's script, Claude Miller made it a point to get the blessing of original co-writer Claude de Givray, Truffaut's widow Madeleine Morgenstern and his two daughters Eva Truffaut and Laura Truffaut.
François Truffaut intended to direct the film after De Repente num Domingo (1983), but died suddenly of a brain tumor and entrusted the script to producer Claude Berri to direct it or find someone who would.
Claude Miller was determined to have Charlotte Gainsbourg play the lead, going as far as to wait for her to be old enough for the part. Miller also included a few nods to the previous collaboration, L'effrontée (1985), in the film.
First nude scene for Nathalie Cardone.