Tarkovsky had worked on the screenplay for this film since 1967, under the consecutive titles Confession, White day and A white, white day.
tɑːɹkˈɑːvski hæd wˈɜːkt ɔnðə skɹˈiːnpleɪ fɔːɹ ðɪs fˈɪlm sˈɪns nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti sˈɛvən, ˌʌndɚ ðə kənsˈɛkjuːtˌɪv tˈaɪɾəlz kənfˈɛʃən, wˈaɪt dˈeɪ ænd ɐ wˈaɪt, wˈaɪt dˈeɪ.