The entire movie has been shot in only 24 hours on original locations along the Wine Road in Southern Styria, Austria.
The movie's plot - although it takes place in present time - is based on Mary and Joseph's biblical search for shelter (chapter 2 of Luke's Gospel, The New testament), all of the characters from the bible story appear in the movie with their original biblical names, like Rufinus, Servilus, Arnoldus and the 3 biblical thieves Tutus, Dumachus and Dismas.
Further details were drawn from stage plays 'Das Spiel von Andau', 'Das Sterzinger Spiel', 'Das Oberuferer Spiel' and 'Die Klosterneuburger Handschrift'.
Luis Buñuel can actually be seen standing on a balcony at the 'Fremdenzimmer Rufinus' location among other patrons, added by filmmaker Simon G. Mueller using VFX as an easter egg. (00:46:10)
Most of the cast were members or collaborators of the 'Theater im Keller' in Graz. only rough outlines of their characters and their scenes were discussed before shooting, there was not a single line of dialogue written for the movie. Simon G. Mueller once told his leading actor Alfred Haidacher 'Whatever happens, don't break the scene, just go with it. If a plane crashes in the background, if a snake bites you or if you twist your ancle, you just keep going.' To make this approach possible, the movie had to be shot in chronological order.
Due to budgetary limitations the filmmakers decided to shoot the entire feature length movie in only 24 hours on location, this way they would not have to hold back on equipment rentals or crew size. There were over 30 people behind the camera, DoP Fritz Frauwallner coordinated 3 camera operators and their assistants on RED cameras, the sound crew equipped all the actors with LAVs, there were operators with boom mics, hooked to each camera and 10 small recording devices were hidden on the set. This way they were able to shoot the movie like a stage play in no more than 3 to 4 takes for each of the 8 sequences.