Esther, the lead character, was named in honor of hip hop singer/songwriter Esther Dean (who uses Ester Dean professionally, dropping the h in her legal name) and because of the director's mother knowing someone when she was younger named Esther.
The movie is a retelling of Alice in Wonderland inspired by Peer Gynt. Nicole Russin-McFarland the director dreamed she rewrote the Peer Gynt music while asleep in 2015.