The movie's dedication in the closing credits states: "This film is dedicated to the more than 250,000 young men and women from around the world, who participated in the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan in Canada during the Second World War and to all those whose lives and hearts they touched for a moment . . . forever."
Sara McMillan's character, Kate, asks Russell Crowe's character, Lachlan, if he's New Zealander. Lachlan says he's Australian. But Crowe is in fact New Zealander, born in Wellington.
Portions of the film were filmed at actual former British Commonwealth Air Training Plan bases in Manitoba. These sites include the former RCAF Stations Brandon, (the site of the Brandon Airport and the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum), Rivers and Chater.