Film is based on Ela Thier's real-life immigration experience as a young girl. Some of the letters narrated in the film are excerpted from the actual letters which she had kept since then. After completing the film, Ela found the girl she was writing to and sent her a copy of the film. The two childhood best friends were reunited after more than 25 years apart. The Vietnamese girl had remained Ela's good friend over the years and assisted in the production of the film.