La vie rêvée des autres

Based on the real life "Flactif Affair" (also known as the "Grand-Bornand massacre"), which occurred in 2003, with character names changed and the action moved to the present day. As such the real Xavier and Graziella Flactif becomes Patrick and Estelle Fleutiot in the film, while the real David Hotyat is renamed Franck Petit. The prior film Possessions (2011) was based on the same case.

In the opening credits, the actor's surnames appear on screen first, with their first names fading in a second later.