The Death Tour
Written and Directed by Stephan Peterson
Co-Directed by Sonya Ballantyne
TRAILER
Canadian Theatrical Release
Toronto – August 2-8 – Imagine Carlton Cinema
Edmonton – August 6 + 7 – Metro Cinema
Winnipeg – August 9 + 10 + 11 + 15 + 18 – Dave Barber Cinematheque (Winnipeg Film Group)
Calgary – August 19 + 22 – Plaza Theatre
Saskatoon – August 16 – 18 – Roxy Theatre
Vancouver – August 21 – Rio Theatre
Regina – August 30 – RPL Film Theatre
Montreal – September 5 – Cinema du Parc
PRESS RELEASE
Each winter, when the lakes freeze over, a motley gang of professional wrestlers leaves Winnipeg on a one-of-a-kind wrestling trip through remote Indigenous communities of Northern Manitoba. Wrestling insiders call it the ‘Death Tour’ – both for the physical hardships endured on the road and the emotional toll it takes on those who experience it.
The Death Tour written and directed by Stephan Peterson and co-directed by Sonya Ballantyne, is a road trip movie like none other which takes viewers on an epic journey to a part of the world rarely captured on camera.
Famous for its star-studded alumni, the trip offers wrestlers a rare taste of fame and a chance to see if they have what it takes to make it in professional wrestling. This deeply personal documentary travels through Canada’s frozen North and into the wrestlers’ minds as they battle the elements, each other, and the impacts of our colonial past.
Audiences experience these remote communities through the wrestler’s eyes as they drive through the frozen tundra, sleep on ring mats after shows, and face their inner demons. Some hope that surviving the Death Tour will propel them to wrestling superstardom while others, their bodies battered and scarred, head North for one last chance to hear the roar of an adoring crowd.
The ‘Death Tour’ has been taking place since the ‘70s and has helped launch the careers of many wrestling greats, and while there are plenty of fun wrestling scenes in the documentary, the heart of the film rests with its main subjects and the Indigenous communities they visit. With an intimate story of trauma, redemption, and passion, this compelling documentary will inspire everyone, and anyone who has been tempted to risk it all to live their dreams.
The Death Tour is written and directed by Stephan Peterson (Meanwhile in the Kitchen on Amazon), co-directed by Sonya Ballantyne (The Walking Dead: LAST MILE), produced by Stacey Tenenbaum (Shiners, Scrap), produced by Sergeo Kirby (The Forbidden Reel, Abu), executive produced by Chris Jericho (Founder of All Elite Wrestling on Warner Bros Discovery), distributed by Raven Banner Releasing.