Tampa- The third annual Gasparilla International Film Festival enters its final days with more movies — including documentaries with Tampa Bay themes.

Playing Friday at 10:40 PM is Strip Club King: Joe Redner. Shelby McIntyre’s documentary casts a mostly admiring eye on Tampa’s most notorious iconoclast, whose Mons Venus nudie nightclub, for better or worse, put the city on the map worldwide.

Described as the Larry Flynt of the South, Redner is the classic American- Dream story come true!!

Redner owns one of the most famous nude clubs in the world, The Mons Venus and has been called a pimp, patriot, intellectual, self- promoter, humanitarian, hypocrite, publicity hound, pig, exploiter, criminal, narcissist, hero and genius.

Take a journey into the life and career of the self-made millionaire who started with nothing, got into the strip club business, and then continued to build a real estate empire.

Many have tried to stop him, but they have failed.

Why? Because Joe Redner has more balls, brains, and tenacity than the average human being…he fights for his Constitutional Amendment rights and wins!!

Joe dropped out of school in the 10th grade, has been arrested over 140 times, sometimes up to 4 times a day, had his clubs raided hundreds of times, earned his GED in jail at the age of 40, became an avid student of the law, got clean and sober, and has run for local public office 7 times.

Joe has been featured on national television for years including ABC’s 20/20, The Daily Show, Tru TV, Playboy TV, The Montel Williams Show, Maury Povich, The Late Late Show, CNN, and the Fox News Channel.

Whether you love him or hate him, you will want to watch him every step of the way!!

Years in the making, it was directed by Shelby McIntyre and produced by Chris Woods, two Tampa filmmakers.

Here are some other comments:

More than just hero worship, “Strip Club King: The Joe Redner Story” is an honest portrait of a helluva complicated man. Whether you follow the footsteps of a First Amendment radical or demonize a walking controversy of adult entertainment, Redner’s biography is a classic tale of the American Dream. If this movie catches the mainstream’s attention the way it should, then the legend of Joe Redner will finally surpass the reputation of Mons Venus.
– Kristofer Kay- Exotic Dancer Publications

STRIP CLUB KING: The Story of Joe Redner is a well crafted documentary about the man behind the infamous nude dance club in Tampa, Florida; The Mons Venus. Through interviews, archival footage, good editing and above average production value, director/producer Shelby McIntyre and producer/editor Chris Woods craft a frequently compelling look at the man who survived his own youthful excesses to build a controversial business, a modest real estate empire and become a cause celeb for first amendment zealots coast to coast. While it seems sympathetic to its subject, it does not sugar coat his personality, which is fairly direct and abrasive especially with his adversaries. The film is worthwhile and worth taking a look at.
– Mathius Mack Gertz- FilmArcade.Net

…its a really good story…..can’t help but think of the parallels with that other defender of the 1st amendment, Flynt.
– Jake La Botz- Musician/Actor(Rambo)

…I loved it…it lets us meet the guy (in a compelling fashion) but it doesn’t glamorize him or condemn his either…it’s just “that’s who he is.” And the bonus is that “who he is” is a terrifically interesting character.
– Macon Blair- Producer,Actor(Murder Party)

…fantastic documentary….amazing news footage, I mean really, really amazing news footage…very good production value…solid story structure…very interesting sub stories that you did a good job transitioning in and out of…fun twists.
– Tray White- Director(Impaler)

…watched it, and really enjoyed it…it was really great! He’s a cool dude!
– Jason Murphy- Director (Zombies!, Zombies!, Zombies!)