:: Zed Filmworks :: Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 3, 2009

Anchor Bay Entertainment Canada & Zed Filmworks Premiere
VAMPIRO: ANGEL, DEVIL, HERO
and THE DEAD SLEEP EASY
On DVD May 5, 2009

Toronto, ON - Anchor Bay Entertainment Canada, Zed Filmworks, and Sound Venture are thrilled to distribute two exciting films featuring Canadian-born international wrestling superstar Ian Hodgkinson, on DVD in the Canadian home entertainment market.
The first, Vampiro: Angel, Devil, Hero, is a documentary that introduces us to wrestler Ian Hodgkinson, aka Vampiro aka El Vampiro Canadiense, and shares his struggles in the realm of wrestling and well beyond the mat. Ottawa area filmmaker Lee Demarbre (Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter, the Harry Knuckles series) followed Vampiro on tour to Europe and visits him in Mexico.
Hodgkinson has endured more bodyslams than most people could survive: childhood abuse, homelessness, exploitation at the hands of unscrupulous promoters, injury, addiction, love found and lost and friendships shattered. Vampiro: Angel, Devil, Hero exposes the seamy underbelly of fame in the world of professional wrestling and traces one man’s heart-of-darkness journey from the top rope to rock bottom and back up again – a man who is an angel to his family, a devil to society, and a hero to his fans.
Austin 360 called Vampiro: Angel, Devil, Hero one of the ‘Top Ten Must See Movies’ at the 2008 Austin Film Festival, and it won an award for Best Editing at the Monterrey Film Festival. Vampiro’s is one of the great untold stories of professional wrestling, and this documentary is sure to pin you to the mat. “Mickey Rourke may look, act and dress like a wrestler, but in truth he just plays one in the movies. Ian Richard Hodgkinson is the real deal” says the National Post.
Based on some of his rough and tumble real life experiences, Hodgkinson stars as ‘the Champ’ in The Dead Sleep Easy. Fifteen years ago the Champ made a fatal mistake, and ever since he’s been working for a violent mob boss, Tlaloc, to pay for it. Now that his true love is married to Tlaloc, he lives from one rail of coke to the next, seeing ghosts everywhere he goes.
But when a pollero (human smuggling) handover goes disastrously wrong, the Champ is set on a collision course with powerful forces on both sides of the border as he seeks justice for a group of murdered migrants – and redemption for himself.
The Dead Sleep Easy also features Martin Kove (The Karate Kid, Rambo; First Blood Part II); British celebrity gangster and author Dave Courtney (The Krays); Mexican recording superstar, Ana Sidel; and rising Canadian stars Talia Russo (Shoot ’em Up, Mean Girls), Phil Caracas (Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter, the Harry Knuckles series) and Aaron Katz.
An official selection of the 2007 Calgary and 2008 Victoria International Film Festivals, and the Fantasia Film Festival in 2008, The Dead Sleep Easy has been called “a bloody, zany, artsy awakening” by the Ottawa Citizen and a “crazily energized film” by the Ottawa Sun.
Vampiro: Angel, Devil, Hero has a total run time of 90 minutes and the DVD contains the following bonus features: Deletes Scenes, Alternate Ending, Photo Gallery
The Dead Sleep Easy has a total run time of 93 minutes and the DVD contains the following bonus features: Deleted Scenes, Pre Production Tests, Gag Reel, Trailers, Photo Gallery

About Zed Filmworks
Zed Filmworks Canada Inc., founded in 2007, is a Canadian owned and controlled media corporation. The company acquires, develops and produces feature film and television entertainment projects for the global marketplace. Zed Filmworks has a simple philosophy. Our movies, TV shows and interactive programs must excite and entertain audiences. The company collaborates with some of the industry’s leading writers, artists, directors and producers to create exciting and engaging entertainment properties.

About Sound Venture International
Originally formed in 1980, Sound Venture International is an Ottawa-based company specializing in the distribution of short and long-form documentary programming, with a focus on arts, culture and independent Canadian films.
About Anchor Bay Entertainment
Anchor Bay Entertainment is the home entertainment division of Starz Media, LLC. It includes the Anchor Bay Films and Manga Entertainment brands. It distributes feature films, children’s entertainment, fitness, TV series, documentaries, anime and other filmed entertainment on DVD and Blu-ray™ formats. It is the exclusive home media distributor in the U.S. of the theatrical titles from Overture Films. Headquartered in Beverly Hills, CA, Anchor Bay Entertainment has offices in Troy, MI, as well as Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia. Starz Media (www.starzmedia.com) is a controlled subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation attributed to the Liberty Capital Group.

Visit www.vampiromovie.com & www.thedeadsleepeasy.com for more information.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION OR SCREENER REQUESTS PLEASE CONTACT:

Chris Allicock Leah Visser
Amberlight Productions Amberlight Productions
416.694.3131 xt 221 416.694.3131 xt 227
chris@amberlight.ca leah@amberlight.ca