among the more original castings was anette sagen, the world's leading female ski jumper, in her first film role. sagen, 22 at the time, played the part of 70-year-old owe's ski jumping mother, although in a younger incarnation. hamer had already considered sagen for the role, when he ran into her by chance at the holmenkollen ski museum. without knowing to whom he was talking, hamer mentioned that he was shooting a film in this location, and was planning to ask anette sagen to be in it. the reason the theme of ski jumping was chosen was that hamer's own mother performed the sport, and the film has been described as a tribute to all female ski jumpers. sagen herself had also earlier been involved in a controversy over women's access to professional venues and competitions. incidentally, sagen and owe are also both from the norwegian town of mosjøen.