The following press release has been issued:

Iron Sheik Documentary THE SHEIK Released TODAY

Amid Toronto's Hot Docs Headlines and Mayoral Uproar THE SHEIK Movie Launch Date Accelerates and is now available at www.sheikmovie.com powered by the Vimeo On Demand platform.

TRAILER: http://sheikmovie.com/trailer

"I am the real! I am the legend! Everywhere I go I make the f—ing world news!" The Iron Sheik

"Remarkably candid" – NOW magazine
"Any fan of wrestling will enjoy this doc" – The Globe and Mail
"At once the funniest and most touching doc" – Toronto Sun

TORONTO, May 1st, 2014 The greatest and funniest villain in the history of wrestling is getting his close-up 8 days earlier.

The Sheik – the emotional journey of an Iranian-refugee-turned-WWE star, and the Iranian-Canadian twin brothers who helped him reinvent himself as a Twitter star – is being released for worldwide download today, a full eight days ahead of schedule.

The Sheik Movie is available now to own for a $9.99 download via the film's website: www.sheikmovie.com. The release is being powered by the Vimeo On Demand platform.

Khosrow Vaziri – a.k.a. The Iron Sheik – was the biggest newsmaker at Toronto's International Hot Docs festival. And the headlines generated unprecedented demand for the filmmakers to up their game.

"Due to the overwhelming excitement and interest generated by The Sheik, everyone will have an opportunity to watch the film starting today," says Page Magen. "On that date, they can form their own opinion of who Vaziri is and what he truly stands for."

"Our plan was to have The Sheik's World Premiere at 2014 Hot Docs and then to release it to the world via sheikmovie.com," adds Jian Magen. "We never anticipated this level of demand or controversy. But we are catering to it by bringing the movie to its intended audience now."

Featuring Dwayne Johnson, Mick Foley, Seth Green, Jim Ross and over 25 celebrities and entertainment superstars; The Sheik made its World Premiere at Hot Docs International Film Festival in Toronto Canada on April 26th. The Sheik was selected as part of Hot Docs' 2014 Special Presentations collection.

"Every once in a while a documentary comes down the pike that pretty much knocks you on your ass," says Actor and WWE Superstar Dwayne Johnson. "This is one of those documentaries!"

Eight years in the making, The Sheik showcases Vaziri's incredible Iranian childhood and the countless tales behind his status as the world's most hated 'Villain', The Sheik is a must see, Pop-Culture Documentary that will "make you humble."

"Vimeo On Demand was always intended to be a nimble, flexible and powerful platform for filmmakers to craft tailored marketing and distribution solutions for their films," says VIMEO's Creative Director, Film and Video, Jeremy Boxer. "The team behind The Sheik have a unique release strategy and we are thrilled to power their bold ideas."

http://vimeo.com/91083040