ðɪ ɪɹˈeɪniən dᵻɹˈɛktɚɹ ɪnvˈɛstᵻd ɪnðə fˈɪlm, lˈɛndɪŋ bˈɑːɹmæk hɪz ɚɹˈaɪflɛks kˈæmɹə ænd ɛŋkˈɜːɹɪdʒɪŋ hˌɪm tə sˈɛnd ðə mˈuːvi tʊ ˌɪntɚnˈæʃənəl fˈɛstɪvəlz, wˌɪtʃ ᵻvˈɛntʃuːəli dʒˈɛnɚɹˌeɪɾᵻd fˈɜːðɚ fˈʌndɪŋ fɹʌm dʒˌæpənˈiːz ænd ˈaɪɹɪʃ pɹədˈuːsɚz.
The Iranian director invested in the film, lending Barmak his Arriflex camera and encouraging him to send the movie to international festivals, which eventually generated further funding from Japanese and Irish producers.