According to Focus Features, writer/director Goran Stolevski traced the terrifying legends of his family's homeland to find his characters and plot. "From researching Macedonian folk tales, I discovered that when individuals were accused of witchcraft, they were also suspected of taking the shape of another person or animal," he recalls. "Those two things sparked the idea of the film."
According to Focus Features, the film is set in the 19th century in the mountains of Macedonia.
Noomi Rapace told IndieWire she had no idea she had to be nude for her role until director Goran Stolevski asked her about her comfort level with it the night before production began. It caught her totally off guard. Then he pointed out the part of the script that described her character as appearing "as she was on the day she was born" and said that meant she would be naked. Rapace thought to herself, "Oh my god, what have I gotten myself into?" But she couldn't back out and had to do it. Her fears quickly subsided the next day when she began filming. The location scenery, combined with the fact that Stolevski "did not feel like a first-time director," allowed her to immerse herself in the scene and the nudity, which, to her, made sense for her character.
Goran Stolevski was born in North Macedonia, and emigrated to Australia with his family in childhood.
The film was selected and submitted as Australia's official entry for the Best International Film category at the 95th Academy Awards in 2023.