The cast originally included actor Bruno Lawrence, but during shooting he was taken to the hospital suffering from chest pains and was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. He died a few months later and the movie has been dedicated to him.
The film is adapted from the play "Cosi" by Louis Nowra, which had its first production in 1992 at Sydney's Belvoir St Theatre. Ben Mendelsohn, Barry Otto, and David Wenham were cast members of the original production, playing the same roles that they do in the film.