In a 2023 interview with Bitpix TV,
Alice Rohrwacher explained the double-meaning of the title and the unique rehearsal process of the film: "Before we started filming, we cast these 17 young girls without knowing who would play the main character of Serafina, but they all had such expressive eyes, which was essential for the story. 'Pupil' means eyes, but, in Latin, it also means 'little girl', so they all had to embody that double meaning. This was during COVID, so once we had our acting troupe selected, we spent several weeks together rehearsing and letting all the girls try each role. They didn't necessarily know who the protagonist was, as they all had a chance to experience the story from many perspectives. We were also shooting on film so we didn't have the luxury of many digital takes, so teaching them the importance of conserving film and making the most of every scene was a wonderful way to learn about the industry and making a movie... It wasn't until they saw the film on the screen that they fully understood Serafina's journey."
