Rugged Entertainment LLC is a full service film and media production company, founded in 2007 by Academy Award Nominated Director Peter Spirer after his tenures at QD3 Entertainment Aslan Productions and Metropolis Films. Rugged Entertainment secured a multi-picture documentary and narrative deal with distributor Image Entertainment/RLJ and recently joined forces with Barry Gordon and XLrator Media, together the two companies have partnered up to create feature length content, distributed worldwide.
Rugged has successfully worked with noteworthy filmmakers, guiding them through the process of production and distribution Current releases featured on Netflix, have received critical and viewer accolades: Queen Mimi, Who the F**k is that Guy?, Glitter Tribe, and Smash.
Rugged Films & Projects
In 1993 the short documentary Blood Ties: The Life and Work of Sally Mann was nominated for an Academy Award.
Spirer's documentary Rhyme and Reason (1997) made Rolling Stone's 40 Greatest Rock Documentary list.
In 2003, Spirer was the winner of the Jury Award for the Ojai Film Festival for his debut narrative feature film Dunsmore.
Spirer has produced a number of musician focused documentary films, including Rhyme and Reason, Another Reason to Rhyme, Beef I-III, Tupac: Thug Angel, and Notorious B.I.G.: Bigger Than Life. Many of his films play regularly on cable television networks.
Ghostride The Whip (2008) that takes the viewer into the world of this phenomenon that started in San Francisco's bay area several years ago. At times, through a historical perspective, the film brings to light the elements and trends that may have been responsible for the origins of ghostriding. The documentary also explores the demographic that most appeals to this art form and the lifestyles of those that regularly participate in it.
In 2009, the feature film Just Another Day, starring Wood Harris and Jamie Hector (both from HBO's The Wire), was released and distributed by Image Entertainment.
Smash (2009 and rereleased in 2020) gives a look inside a biannual school bus race in Florida, a harrowing event where carnage and collisions are most definitely encouraged.
Kiss and Tail: The Hollywood Jump off (2009) Goes deep into the underworld of hip-hop groupies and video vixens where sex is the backstage pass and young ladies use their bodies as a way to promote themselves and further their own careers.
Rhyme and Punishment (2011) takes an in-depth look at the role of prison in hip hop culture, and reveals the side of the story that is not being covered by the news and popular media. Featuring intimate and compelling interviews with convicted rappers Beanie Sigel, Prodigy, Cassidy, Project Pat, Immortal Technique, Slick Rick and many more. These artists who were at the top of their game when they got locked up explain the details of the crimes that led to their arrests, and document their struggles to deal with the shocking brutality of incarcerated life.
Soulja Boy: The Movie (2011) follows the young and charismatic yet polarizing entrepreneur offers an all access glimpse into his life, his music, and his fascinating career.
In 2016, Rugged helped produce a film titled Queen Mimi. The documentary looks into the life of Mimi, an unhoused woman who went from living in a laundromat to walking down the red carpet with Zach Galifianakis.
Who The Fuck Is That Guy? The Fabulous Journey of Michael Alago (2017) examines the life and career of Michael Alago, a gay Puerto Rican kid from Brooklyn who went on to shape and reinvent the world's musical landscape—first as a 19-year-old talent booker at the legendary Ritz nightclub in New York City and then as a 24-year-old A&R executive who signed Metallica, White Zombie and worked with other notable artists including Nina Simone, John Lydon and Cyndi Lauper.
First premiering on STARZ, Spirit Game: Pride of the Nation (2017) offers an insider's look into the Iroquois Nationals lacrosse team; the first-ever international lacrosse championship held on sovereign land. Spirer produced the film which won Best Documentary at the Red Nation Film Festival.
The Legend of 420 (2017) Explores the controversial use of marijuana and the evolution of mainstream society, from a dangerous narcotic listed as a Schedule 1 Drug substance since the 1970s, to the rush to decriminalize it today. What has changed and why? What will the cannabis industry look like in five years? Will it retain its integrity as a homegrown industry or be co-opted by Big Business? Experts, growers, celebrities and politicians weigh in on the future of Canna-business.