L.E. Salas' documentary directorial debut. The original title was EXILE. The title was eventually changed because it was too broad.
Many musicians and entertainers including Gloria Estefan, Andy Garcia, Daisy Fuentes, and rapper Pitbull were approached or were considered for inclusion and narration. In the end, it was decided that the stories of the exiles featured in the documentary were the primary focus.
Because of the policies under the Bush administration towards Cuba, the director was not able to make a trip to Cuba. Instead, his cousin, featured in the documentary, was given a hand-held camera, and took footage while their visiting her immediate family she left behind
Many of the events captured in the documentary happened by pure coincidence. The hunger strike by Ramon Sanchez, featured in the documentary occurred while the director was in Florida for an interview in Orlando. The director re-routed and recorded the interview in Miami, before driving to Orlando.
The documentary was first screened in Union City, New Jersey, the second highest Cuban-American population outside of Miami, Florida. It was then taken back to the editing room for final revisions.