The movie is based on a novel by Jan Guillou. Guillou attended a boarding school himself when he was a teenager and the novel is partly based on his own experiences.
Johan Rabaeus who play Erik's abusive stepfather went to a boarding school much like the one in this film and he claimed he lost his soul there.
After the film's final fight scene, Fredrik af Trampe asked a make-up girl take a Polaroid of him in his post-fight make up, which featured blood coming out of his mouth and nostrils. He gave the picture to his mother, who had it framed and still has it on her bedside table.
120 people turned up for audition of the role of Erik Ponti.
When Erik is on the train in the beginning he sees a little girl with a doll. That girl is Emma Håfström, daughter of director Mikael Håfström.