1. A method for loading data from a backup image of a database, the method comprising: selecting a subset statement defining a subset of the data in the database; identifying tables of the database based on metadata of the database; writing a target database having the structure but not the data of the identified tables; constructing, by a computer processor, one or more table statements defining a subset of each identified table based on the subset statement; and unloading selected data from the backup image into the target database using respective table statements as filters.