The title comes from a 19th century euphemism for orgasm, originally the French "la petite Morte".
Director Josh Lawson said in an interview that he "wanted the last 20 minutes to feel like almost a sexual experience, so that the audience nearly orgasms at the climax and they walk away needing a cigarette and a cold shower".
When asked what was the craziest fetish he came across in his research, director Josh Lawson said that "it's one that isn't in the movie, but it's the fetish of having your eyeball licked".
Spanish film 'Kiki, el amor se hace' (2016) is an adaptation of 'The Little Death'.