"The Dead Sleep Easy" premieres for hometown crowd

Summary: Ottawa independent film The Dead Sleep Easy premieres for hometown crowd at The Bytowne Cinema February 22

Ottawa independent film The Dead Sleep Easy premieres for hometown crowd at The Bytowne Cinema February 22

New feature from the makers of Jesus Christ, Vampire Hunter shot entirely in Mexico

Film features Martin Kove (The Karate Kid, Rambo); Canadian-born international wrestling superstar Ian Hodgkinson (aka El Vampiro); British celebrity gangster and author Dave Courtney (The Krays); Latin singing sensation Ana Sidel; rising Canadian stars Talia Russo (Shoot ‘em Up, 16 Blocks, Mean Girls) and Aaron Katz; and Ottawa cult film star Phil Caracas (Jesus Christ, Vampire Hunter, the Harry Knuckles series).

The Dead Sleep Easy will have its hometown premiere engagement Friday, February 22 through Monday, February 25 at Ottawa’s home of independent film, The Bytowne Cinema, 325 Rideau St.

The Bytowne Cinema is passionate about independent film, and they don’t come much more independent than The Dead Sleep Easy.

The Dead Sleep Easy is the third feature from Ottawa director (and former Bytowne staffer) Lee Gordon Demarbre (Jesus Christ, Vampire Hunter, the Harry Knuckles films). As with Demarbre’s previous efforts, The Dead Sleep Easy was shot on a shoestring – but this time, he was spending pesos, not dollars, because filming took place entirely in Guadalajara, Mexico.

“We’ve been working independently in Ottawa for a decade, funding our own films, making them, distributing them ourselves,” says Demarbre. “This is something new for us – making a movie with someone else’s money. It’s an overnight success story ten years in the making.”

The film follows a character known only as The Champ (Thunder Bay’s Ian Hodgkinson, who wrestles in Mexico as El Vampiro Canadiense), a washed-up wrestler who once made a fatal mistake and is now stuck working for the mob. When a pollero (human smuggling) run goes disastrously wrong, The Champ is set on a collision course with powerful forces on both sides of the Mexican/American border as he seeks justice for a group of migrants – and redemption for himself.

Toss in an original Ennio Morricone-inspired score by Michael Dubue (front man of Ottawa new-wave/pop/experimental band The Hilotrons), and you’ve got another homegrown, action-packed ass-kick of a film. Don’t miss this one-way trip.

The screenings will also feature special post-film question and answer sessions! Director Lee Demarbre, writer Ian Driscoll and others from the filmmaking team will be on hand to answer questions after every show! The premiere will also be attended by stars Ana Sidel (traveling from Los Angeles), Arron Katz (traveling from New York) and Talia Russo (traveling from Toronto).

The Dead Sleep Easy is an:
Official selection, Calgary International Film Festival, 2007
Official selection, Victoria International Film Festival, 2008
Official selection, Fantasia Film Festival, 2008

Visit the official website at www.thedeadsleepeasy.com.

View The Dead Sleep Easy trailer online at http://www.shorelineentertainment.com/trailers/deadsleepeasy.wmv.

For show times and more information about The Bytowne Cinema, visit www.bytowne.ca or call (613) 789-4600.

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