How to Survive The Death Tour in Real Life Doesn’t Necessarily Mean Wrestling with Demons

The dangers wrestlers and isolated communities face in The Death Tour is deftly examined in this documentary about survival against all odds.

The Death Tour Movie Poster
For other showtimes, please visit the official website

Screening at The Rio Theatre
Aug 21st 6:30pm

Vancouver, BC

Unlike those movies and short films I’ve recently reviewed about the “behind the scenes” of the wrestling world (namely Little Lucha and the Big Deal & Dark Match), they present the events as fiction. To understand what goes on, I recommend checking out The Death Tour. Despite its ominous name, this documentary directed by Stephan Peterson and Sonya Ballantyne takes a deep and insightful look at what motivated these talents to keep on going. It’s less about their own issues since not all of them got to fulfil their dreams, but in helping those whose lost all hope to not fall into despair.

Every winter, a small team of these hopefuls are recruited to embark on a unique pilgramage to not only learn more about themselves, but also show to others, namely local indgeninous commnuties strewn in Northern Manitoba, how to survive this rat race known as Life. This program started in the early 70s and has been going strong for 50 years!

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[Fantasia 2024] When Lighting The Fire in Dark Match is Enough to be Explosive!

Fans of wrestling will love Lowell Dean’s latest effort to bring debauchery and devil worship to the wrestling ring in Dark Match.

Dark Match Movie Poster
Theatrical / Streaming dates TBA

World Debut at Fantasia Film Festival 2024
July 21, 2024 6:30 PM
Auditorium des diplômés de la SGWU (Théâtre Hall)

To be a wrestler is tough. Quite often, not everyone will find the success they crave. Whether that’s with fame or making a living at it, that’ll depend on the individual. And when we’re dealing with an ominously titled movie like Dark Match, just what the hero(es) has to face may well be their own demons!

When Lowell Dean‘s name is on the billing, hopefully the name recognition will sell this film. And what this creator of Wolfcop has created has classic supernatural spin wrapped around a classic 80s style sports-action film. I call this Bloodsport meets Friday the 13th meets Fight Club.

Here, Miss Behave (Ayisha Issa) is hardly satisfied with her life. She’s one member of a group of small-time wrestlers who hope that one day, some media mogul offers them a deal of a lifetime. Unfortunately, when they are asked to bring their travelling show to a backwater town, they are none the wiser. They don’t realise the ring-leader they’re dealing with was a former wrestler himself, and that he fell from grace a long time ago. Only Mean Joe Lean (Steven Ogg) knows something about his past!

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