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Press Release
American Sports Icon, Worlds Greatest Armwrestler to Debut:
Real Life Over the Top
Long Beach Island, NJ
May 18, 2009
Pulling John have its East Coast Premier at the Lighthouse International Film Festival; In attendance, John Brzenk, armwrestling legend for 25 years; a full time airline mechanic, whose career's ultimate battle with aging and a Russian super athlete are featured in this feature documentary.
Shot over the duration of 5 years, in locations such as Japan, Russia, Poland, Ukraine, Canada and all over the USA, "Pulling John" chronicles the career turning point for the Armwrestling legend and culminates at the world championship in Warsaw.
BACKGROUND (THE LEGEND AND THE SPORT)
From the rundown gyms of Sochi, Russia to the country bars of West Virginia, there is only one coveted title, "beat the legendary Armwrestler John Brzenk". John Brzenk, an all-american who looks more like John Denver, than Arnold Shwarzenegger, has a world following that extends to the far corners of the globe. As the real-time winner of Stallone's 1987 film Over the Top, John Brzenk's name has become synonymous with Armwrestling. Brzenk has left no challenge unmet, often taking time off from work as an airline mechanic for Delta Airlines, to travel the world and compete against any up-and-coming talent. Achieving a 25 year legendary career, with print coverage in every magazine from Playboy to the New Yorker or TV coverage on ABC's Wide World of Sports to ESPN, his reign extends longer than Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali or the NY Yankees. Brzenk is a celebrity in a sport that often operates under the radar.
Participated by all, used as a tool to handpick the best soldiers for battle, armwrestling first became an organized sport in the US in 1954. After receiving worldwide attention, under the name wristwrestling, on ABC's Wide World of sports in 1969, the sport enjoyed a 16 year run that marked the highest ratings of all sport programming. In Armwrestling Americans are the unpaid underdogs and the Russians are armed with National pride and support. It's a new cold war. It's through Armwrestling that one can see what is at the core of athleticism; the personal glory of victory without the financial incentives of prime time sports.
THE FILM (SYNOPSIS)
Pulling John is the universal story of a champion, who after 25 years of domination is now burdened with the inevitable transformation of aging. John Brzenk, the legendary Armwrestler, the real "OVER THE TOP" champion who works as an airline mechanic by day must decide whether to leave the sport he was raised on or wait to be defeated by 2 up and coming titans. Voevoda from Russia, Bagent from West Virginia have been raised on the legend of John Brzenk and now seek to take his crown. These men define themselves not by becoming champions but by defeating the legend that is known as Brzenk. In a philosophical and thrilling ride, 'Pulling John' culminates at the Zloty Tur Championship in Warsaw, where Bagent and Voevoda have the chance of their life, to dethrone the conflicted Brzenk.
PREMIERE AND ATTENDANCE (WHAT, WHERE, WHEN)
The feature length documentary, Pulling John, will have its East Coast Premiere at Lighthouse International Film Festival on June 6th at 7pm at the St. Francis featuring the sweat drenched, fierce rivalry between nations and ages. John Brzenk, Travis Bagent will be in attendance in addition to the directors and producer.
Pulling John is the recent winner of the GOLDEN PALM AWARD at the Mexican International Film Festival, the Audience Award at the Belfast Film and Madrid International Film Festivals and will be showing at DOXA in Vancouver, Canada and it will be the Spotlight Film at the Waterfront Film Festival.
If you'd like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with the film-makers and the John Brzenk Travis Bagent, please email us at press@inkstories.com or check out the official website at www.pullingjohn.com for trailers and more promotional materials.
CONTACT: Navid Khonsari
Tel: 212-674-1400 Ext 475
Cell Phone: 646-247-7584
Email: press@inkstories.com
About the Lighthouse International Film Festival
The Lighthouse International Film Festival was founded by a collection of filmmakers, film critics and film industry professionals who share a passion for film and wanted to create an event aimed first and foremost at film enthusiasts. The 2009 festival will present feature films, 20 shorts, documentaries and family films, as well as panel discussions with leading film industry professionals. Taking place on Long Beach Island, NJ -- one of the East coast's most popular surfing destinations -- the festival celebrates four days of new, exciting and challenging films in honor of Long Beach Island's historic Barnegat Lighthouse.
Follow the Festival on Twitter and Facebook. For more information, please visit http://lighthousefilmfestival.org or contact information@lighthousefilmfestival.org.
Please direct all press inquiries to Farrah Hamid.
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