Most of this movie's cast is comprised by the people who actually lived the story of Juliane Koepcke...including pilot Clyde Peters, the nun at the hospital, and the woodcutters who found and rescued Juliane. The exceptions are Susan Penhaligon, the actors who portray Juliane's parents and, naturally, the crew and other passengers of the ill-fated airliner.
Susan Penhaligon did most of her own stunts for this film, up to and including the numerous swims she goes for in the Amazon River.