 Large parts of the film were shot in the area round Gföhl and Ottenschlag in the "Waldviertel".The film opened on 12 February 2009 in German cinemas and was subsequently released at different times in various European countries and the United States over the following months.The film was submitted on 1 September 2008 by the Austrian Film Commission as the Austrian entry for selection for the Oscars in the Best Foreign-Language Film category, and on 22 January 2009 was nominated by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences out of 67 entries as one of five films.