When Elias meets another immigrant (Ahmet Zirek) from the same country as him, the language they are actually using is reverse French.
The girl riding the white horse in the dream sequence was recruited from a local riding stables. The talent scouts had visited the stables near Heraklion in search of a white horse but none were considered suitable. They did, however, spot the girl and cast her on the spot. She was Australian and on a gap year at the time.
The title is an ironical reference to John Steinbeck's 'East of Eden' and its 1955 film adaptation by Elia Kazan, Vidas Amargas (1955).
The extras in the naked beach scenes in Crete were paid EUR50 per day. Months before shooting began, "auditions" had been held in Heraklion.
French visa # 119541.