Yes, Frida is based on the life of the Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. The film is not a direct adaptation of Kahlo's life, but it does draw heavily on her biography, Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo by Hayden Herrera. The filmmakers also interviewed Kahlo's friends and family to get a better understanding of her life. The result is a film that is both faithful to the historical record and creatively engaging.