The film focuses on the stories of three women: Siberian mail-order bride Natalia, New Zealand anaesthetist Briar and housewife Faith, who are played by Victoria Haralabidou, Taylor and Elizabeth Hawthorne respectively.

[2][1] Three women - a duped mail-order bride, a numbed anaesthetist determined to have a romantic weekend, and an empty nester on an unexpected mission of mercy - each navigates her way through an unfamiliar landscape and the contours of the human heart.

[1] According to Loren Taylor, The Moon Is Upside Down was inspired by various elements including her sister's short stories, "murmurs" of a mail order bride in the Wairarapa and her own personal overseas travel experiences.

Taylor envisioned the film as a multi-narrative story of three women in the Wellington region, describing it as an "interwoven existential cathartic dramedy.

"[4] Taylor also drew inspiration from several films including Milcho Manchevski's Before the Rain, Maren Ade's Toni Erdmann and Alice Rohrwacher's Happy as Lazzaro.

[1] Supporting cast members included Jemaine Clement as MacIntosh, Rachel House as Tuffy, Robbie Magasiva as Tim, Robyn Malcolm as Hilary, Ginette McDonald and Karen O'Leary.