The events in the film are actual instances that really did happen; all the way up to the end.
To this day,(still)...neither the daughter or the immediate family DO NOT know the truth of what she had done.
The story is about one of the writer's best friends. They have been friends for 14 years.
The film's subtitle is a phonetic transcription of "Schadenfreude", German word for damage-joy.
The producer felt that she needed to make this film to show that this could be your sister, mother, neighbor, or best friend and that there are the 'right ways' to do things to for a reason. If the film strikes a nerve or response of some sort, then she did her job.