The film takes place in Ankara, but the prison scenes were filmed in Istanbul's Sultanahmet Jail, which has since been converted into a Four Seasons hotel.
Although the English subtitles for some releases of the film refer to pretzels, the actual food discussed in the film's dialogue is simit, which is a ring of bread covered usually with sesame seeds.
Official submission of Turkey for the 'Best Foreign Language Film' category of the 62nd Academy Awards in 1990.
Based on a 1986 novella by Feride Çiçekoglu, who served as a political prisoner in the 1980s.
The character Baris derives his name from the Turkish musician Baris Manço.