Inspired by a true story, that of Jean-Claude Romand. In reality, Romand went on to kill, on January 9, 1993, his wife, two children and both his parents. It is the first of three films in two years inspired by the case, followed by The Adversary (2002) and La vida de nadie (2002), of which the former is the closest to the real events. Phantom (2002) was also inspired by the same incident.