A Holiday Gift to the Troops -- Creator of Award-Winning Film "No Pain, No Gain" Repays Military Personnel for Their Sacrifices

Las Vegas, NV (PRWeb) December 19, 2006 -- As a holiday gift to U. S. military personnel worldwide and to veterans in the San Jose area, Samuel Turcotte, writer, producer and director of the award-winning film "No Pain, No Gain," will be giving back to the troops this holiday season.

On Christmas Day, Turcotte, a U.S. Air Force veteran, will visit three Veterans Administration hospitals in the San Jose area, where he will have dinner with veterans, hold special private screenings of the film and give away free DVD's, T-shirts and other movie merchandise.

In addition, the American Forces Network has selected "No Pain, No Gain" for satellite broadcast to all U.S. military forces who serve overseas at major military bases and remote embassies in 177 countries. Turcotte waived the licensing fee and also created a special introduction with the film's star Gus Malliarodakis as a "thank you" note to the troops.

"The men and women of our armed forces are making the ultimate sacrifice for us every day," he said. "This is just a small way to show our gratitude."

Active-duty military personnel stationed in the United States, Afghanistan and Iraq have corresponded with Turcotte about the movie's popularity among U.S. troops.

Gianni Passakos, Private 1st Class in A Company, 4th Infantry Division, Second Platoon, stationed outside Tikrit, Iraq, writes that "the movie is awesome. Sam and Gus are truly inspirations to us all. Everyone who sees it over here loves it. I hope there is more to come."

As a further gift to the troops, Turcotte is offering U.S. military personnel substantial discounts of up to 50 percent on the DVD of the movie and other "No Pain, No Gain" merchandise via the movie's website, www.npngmovie.com.

"No Pain, No Gain" is the first feature-length fiction movie ever set in the world of bodybuilding and also the first bodybuilding film since the documentary "Pumping Iron" in 1977, which starred Arnold Schwarzenegger. The timely film, which tackles the controversial issue of fad diets, steroids in sports and obsession with body image, has been featured on ESPN.

An official selection at the São Paulo International Film Festival in Brazil, "No Pain, No Gain" also screened to enthusiastic crowds at the Palm Beach Film Festival and the Houston Film Festival (Worldfest), where it won an award for Best Director, First Feature.

Turcotte, an avid bodybuilder since the age of 15, served on active duty at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio from 1987 to 1990. He earned an Air Force Meritorious Achievement Medal for his work designing the Air Force Institute of Technology's distance learning production studio and teleconferencing facility.

"The movie's topic and its theme resonate very positively with the military," said Turcotte. "Like our soldiers, bodybuilders have long been grossly misrepresented in the media. My film gives a more balanced and realistic portrayal of the culture of bodybuilding, likewise my hope is that the public and media will also treat our troops in a more positive way that they truly deserve."

For further information please visit the movie's website, www.npngmovie.com.

###