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(Pt 2 – Award Ceremony)

(Pt 3 – Interviews)

“Best Editing” – Alex Ranarivelo
“Best Feature Film” – Places 2nd Alex Ranarivelo
“Best Actor” – Paul J. Alessi

ReelHeART Film Festival

“It’s fun, clever, witty and well-acted” – Ramas Screen

“All in all a telling slice-of-life, well worth-watching” – Cult Movies

“The movies pacing is excellent, it moves from scene to scene seamlessly” – Crave Online

“A relationship roller coaster ride with funny highs and dramatic lows.” – Movie Vine

Written and directed by Alex Ranarivelo, produced by Paul J. Alessi, and co-produced by Amie Barsky and Baptiste DeRivel. Knuckle Draggers takes a humorous but very real look at the state of modern male/female relationships. Knuckle Draggers is the relationship movie from a male perspective.

The story follows Ethan, an all around nice guy who gets dumped because he wasn’t able to provide his fiancée with the plush, stable life her friends were living. Desperate to get her back, he seeks help from his older brother Kyle, a tough talking sexist who seems to have a way with the ladies. Kyle gives Ethan a crash course on women and dating much to the disgust of some of Ethan’s female friends. Just when it seems Kyle’s misogynistic theories are about to prove themselves true, things take an unexpected turn and force Ethan, Kyle and their friends to reassess their views on relationships.

In the spirit of movies like Swingers and Brothers Brothers McMullen, Knuckle Draggers gives us a unique point of view, a timely message, and a lot of heart. Not another indie film about friends hanging out, Knuckle Draggers provokes questions about what modern couples want versus what they need, and how their needs may not have evolved much from those of our caveman ancestors.

Scottish actor Ross McCall heads a dynamic ensemble cast in the lead role of ‘Ethan’. His credits include the HBO miniseries ‘Band of Brothers’ and most recently ‘Crash’, the Starz TV series. Paul J. Alessi, plays ‘Kyle’, Ethan’s sexist outspoken brother. His credits include the Ten til Noon and the TV series Desire. Omar Gooding plays Ethan’s best friend ‘Russell’. Omar’s credits include ‘Baby Boy’, the HBO series ‘Deadwood’ and he’s just joined the cast of the upcoming Jerry Bruckheimer TV series ‘Miami Trauma’. Amie Barsky plays ‘Patricia’, Ethan’s strong-minded female best friend. The film also includes Danielle Nicolet ‘The Starter Wife’, Justin Baldoni ‘Heroes’, Serah D’Laine ‘General Hospital’ and Jennifer Alden‘Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen’.

Knuckle Draggers features a musical score by Austin Wintory, whose credits include the multiple award-winning Captain Abu Raed. A dynamic soundtrack accompanies the score, including tracks by J Mello & Dave Navarro, Tyler Hilton, Marching Band, and Jennifer Love-Hewitt & Sophie B. Hawkins.

The Canadian Premiere takes place on Saturday, June 27th at 7:15pm, at Innis Town Hall, Innis College, 2 Sussex Street, U of T Campus, Toronto, M5S 1J5 http://www.reelheart.com/2009/festival/saturday-june-27/main-a-715pm/

For all inquiries please contact Paul J. Alessi at Paul@partnersincrimefilms.com.

See the trailer at www.KnuckleDraggersTheMovie.com

Knuckle Draggers wins two “Rising Star “awards at the Delray Beach Film Festival.

Serah D’Laine takes the “Frownie” for Best Close Up in a Motion Picture and Paul J. Alessi takes the “Stella Artois” for Outstanding Feature by a New Filmmaker/Producer.

We are pleased to announce the following awards and honors.  Please check our website for monthly screenings and come see the best of the DBFF.

* The Stella Artois Lifetime Achievement Award to Robert Davi.

* The Stella Artois Rising Star Award to Alexander Nevsky.

* The Stella Artois Rising Star Award to a new filmmaker to Paul J. Alessi, producer/actor “Knuckle Draggers”.

* Stella Artois Award for the Best Film by a New Filmmaker to Bajir Cannon, Director of The Distance between the Apple and the Tree.

* The Chloe Lifetime Achievement Award for Support of Independent Filmmaking to Giancarlo Esposito.

* The Frownies Award for Best Close-Up in a Motion Picture to Serah D’Laine, (Knuckle Draggers).

* Winners of the Script Writing Contest Sponsored by Final Draft -This year we have two winners:   Margaret Nussbaum and Jim Steech for M.I.L.F. and Shari Umansky for Son of M.I.L.F., a Madoff Tragedy.

* Script-to-Reel Short Winner, Sponsored by Perfect Vodka and Sony, to  Dan Pico for Heaven Above You.

* Best Feature Film Audience Award to Falling For Grace, Directed by Fay Ann Lee.

* Best Documentary Audience Award to Faded Glory, Directed By Rick Cohen.

* Director’s Choice for Best Documentary, War Against the Weak, by Pete Deemas.

* Special Award for a documentary that raises awareness of  contemporary issues, The Spitting Game, Directed by Denice Ann Evans.

* Best Short, How My Father Killed Dracula, Directed by Sky Soleil.

* Award for Best Experimental Short, The Green, Green Heart, Directed by Steven Lesser.

* Best Animation Short, Token Hunchback, Directed by Tim Reckart.

* Best Animation Feature, The Magistical, Directed by John Cernak.

* Audience Award Best Foreign Film , Hachipusheet (The Beetle) Directed by Yishar Orian.

* Best Foreign Film, Children’s Orchestra (Orquestra Dos Meninos), Directed by Paulo Thiago De Oliveira.

* Director’s Choice for Best Foreign Film, Lokas, Directed by Gonzalo Justiniano.

* Best Environmental/Green Award, Free River Park, Directed by Tara Nurin.

* Kodak Award  for the Best Student Shorts, Fades with Age, Directed Aaron I. Naar and Seth Roger Cuddeback.

* The Sara Fuller Award for Best Young Filmmaker  and Best Student Short to Florida  MIU Filmmaker, Xander Rey Soteras, for Ditched.

* Best Documentary by a Florida  filmmaker, Cracker – The Last Cowboys of Florida, Directed by Victor Milt.

* Music Video Award to F**K the FED!, Directed by Neal Fox.

* Award for Best Xtreme Sports Film to That’s It That’s All, Directed by Curt Morgan and Travis Rice.

* Best Feature Film by a Florida Filmmaker Film Contest?  V. Alex Marquez

Serah D’Laine wins the “Rising Star Frownie Award” for “Best Close Up in a Motion Picture” at the Delray Beach Film Festival, for her role in the feature film “Knuckle Draggers”.

Paul J. Alessi wins the “Rising Star Stella Artois Award” for “Outstanding Feature by a New Filmmaker/Producer” at the Delray Beach Film Festival, for the feature film “Knuckle Draggers”.