João Correa, of Portuguese birth but resident in Belgium following his graduation from a Belgian film school, wrote the script of this film. The lack of state subsidies forced him to embark on a French co-production, a path which led him far away from his original project. Among the conditions imposed by Paris was the installation of a co-director, Henri Calef, whose hour of glory had come after the Liberation. Calef, who was somewhat forgotten at the time, saw this movie as an unexpected chance to make his name again. He reworked the script and Correa could only play second fiddle whereas he has initiated the project. He was not even credited in the poster.