In addition to directing the film, she co-wrote the screenplay with her longtime friend Loung Ung, whose memoirs about the regime's child labor camps served as its source material.
Selain menyutradarai film tersebut, dia bekerja sama menulis naskah dengan teman lamanya Loung Ung, dimana memoirnya tentang kamp-kamp buruh anak-anak dari rezim tersebut dijadikan sebagai bahan sumbernya.