NILES, Ohio - Howland native Ryan Bottiglieri knew at a young age he wanted to be a filmmaker.

"I remember the first memory I have at the theater.  We were screening a movie in Niles. I saw "E.T." So that's transforming; dropping you into this world and affecting you. It started when I was young," said Bottiglieri.

Now some 25 years later, Bottiglieri will be back at that same theater Saturday night to premiere his own movie, "Heels".

The movie debuted at the Orlando Film Festival in October and was nominated for Best Picture.

"Our goal was, and so far this is what people are saying, we just want people to feel better. We're not saving the world here. It's a good little heartfelt movie that makes you laugh. It's fun. It's got a lot of heart and you just hopefully leave feeling better after the movie," said Bottiglieri.

"Heels" is about two adopted brothers who are going to extreme measures to save their family business by going on the local wrestling circuit. 

Bottiglieri wrote, directed, produced and starred in the film which was shot in just 10 days. He even did his own stunt work.

"About six months of wrestling training.  What I learned was wrestling really is the art form of getting your butt kicked. The guys who sell the beating, that's what sells the match. It was fun though, it was a lot of fun. Worked with great ex-wrestlers and stuff and I grew a new respect for big time wrestling because it's not fake man, that stuff they take a beating. I dislocated my shoulder. These guys are like, now you're part of the club. I'm like really, I can't move my arm and they are like no, no, no that's good that means your doing something right," said Bottiglieri.

The movie hasn't been distributed yet on a national level, only playing a few film festivals. Saturday night it will premiere locally for a one-time showing at the Encore Cinema in Niles.

"I'm excited because this is where it all started for me and I want to bring more. I want to bring projects back to the area so it's just one step closer to that goal to where if we get this out there, it will make some waves. Then we can bring some more stuff back and that's the goal. There are stories that I want to tell that are centralized here, so hopefully, we have the resources to come back here and do it," said Bottiglieri.

Tickets for "Heels" are still available. The movie starts at 7 p.m.