This Canadian production caught the eye of Hollywood movie moguls
Harvey Weinstein and
Bob Weinstein, who offered the Canadian filmmakers substantial money for the American distribution rights, but also a guaranteed amount of money spent on marketing. The Canadian filmmakers turned down this offer, feeling that they could get more. The Weinsteins then offered more money for the rights and marketing, but the Canadian filmmakers turned down this offer too, still feeling that they could get more. The Weinsteins then said they would talk among themselves and come up with an offer the Canadian filmmakers would "really like." However, a short time later, the Weinsteins contacted the Canadian filmmakers to tell them that they had watched the movie again, and this viewing changed their minds about acquiring the American distribution rights. The subsequent buzz that went around Hollywood after this news was so negative, no other major American distributor was interested in acquiring the American rights to the movie. In desperation, the Canadian filmmakers ultimately ended up selling the American distribution rights to a small independent American distributor, who paid very little and didn't widely release the movie.
