 Although producer Stephen Woolley was immediately taken with  Jordans script, he met with zero interest in America. The general  consensus was that the Jaye Davidson role was uncastable, and the  films mix of sex and terrorism would prove unpalatable with  audiences. And that the press would divulge the films big twist.  Eventually Woolley was able to drum up the necessary budget from  British, European and Japanese sources, but then had to contend with  the financial collapse of his production company, Palace Pictures.  When Miramax, who had initially rejected the script, saw the  finished product, they immediately made an offer to distribute the  film in the USA, with a clause in the contract that they would push  the film for Oscar consideration.