In 1997, this movie was nominated for an Oscar in the category "best foreign language film". Marie Theisen, who was 15 years old during the filming, had the main role in it. In an interview, she said that she realized her full nude swimming scene was difficult to accept for the American audience, but she thought it was well done and absolutely necessary for the context.
The scenes where Hildegun Riise and Marie Theisen are shown stripping completely and swimming naked, were filmed in Tistedal, Norway.