Devoted exclusively to action cinema and its unsung heroes, ActionFest comes to Carolina Cinema in Asheville April 7–10 for its second year.

Created by Bill Banowsky (Carolina Cinemas founder and Magnolia Pictures cofounder), famed action director/producer Aaron Norris (Missing in Action III, Walker, Texas Ranger), and Magnolia Pictures/Magnet Releasing senior vice president Tom Quinn, ActionFest again showcases the most exciting action films from around the globe, pays tribute to the stuntmen, fight choreographers, and the second unit directors who make them possible, and offers attendees an unparalleled Stunt Show Extravaganza.

ActionFest 2’s opening night film (Thursday, April 7) is the world premiere of Jonathan English’s Ironclad, an epic, blood-soaked account of a brutal castle siege starring Paul Giamatti (Sideways, Shoot’em Up), James Purefoy (Rome, Solomon Kane), Derek Jacobi (Gladiator), Brian Cox (The Bourne Identity), and Jason Flemyng (Clash of the Titans).

This year’s ActionFest Lifetime Achievement Award will go to legendary stuntman Buddy Joe Hooker whose career spans six decades and countless classic films, including First Blood. He will receive the award in person on Saturday, April 9, placing him in the rarified company of last year’s recipient, Chuck Norris.

“No one honors the men and women who put the action into action films, and it’s about time,” says ActionFest cofounder Aaron Norris. “For me, giving these unsung cinematic heroes the respect and recognition they deserve is the heart of what ActionFest is all about.”

ActionFest 2 will honor 2010’s Machete from director Robert Rodriguez as “Action Film of the Year,” singling out the talented Russell Towery (Pirates of the Caribbean, Zombieland, Jonah Hex, National Treasure) as “Stunt Coordinator of the Year” for his impressive work on the film.

Additionally, ActionFest 2 pays tribute to the 40th anniversary of Stunts Unlimited, an elite organization comprised of Hollywood's A-list stunt performers (including original member Buddy Joe Hooker), which has become one of the most sought-after groups of action performers. Their work has been seen in a wide array of film and television including Die Hard, Fast & Furious, Mission Impossible 2, Point Break, Rocky, Spiderman, and The Terminator.

The Stunt Show Extravaganza will return for ActionFest 2. This year’s show takes place at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 10, in the Carolina Cinema parking lot. The show has been made possible by motion picture stunt-business veteran John Cann (Machete, Tango and Cash, Predator 2), president and CEO of Action P.A.C. Stunts, L.L.C., who is creating the show and providing the equipment along with Randy Fife (Robocop, Arlington Road).

ActionFest 2 promises to be four days of adrenaline-fueled pleasure for film buffs, offering an exciting combination of the best in contemporary action cinema (including several premieres) and classics of the genre.

Confirmed new titles include Little Big Soldier, a new period action film written by and starring Jackie Chan; Hobo With A Shotgun, the hot Sundance selection starring Rutger Hauer, Super, vigilante madness starring Rainn Wilson, Ellen Page, Kevin Bacon, and Liv Tyler; Bangkok Knockout, Thai action from the stunt team and filmmakers of Ong Bak; Outrage, a gritty and violent new Yakuza thriller from the legendary Takeshi Kitano; Bunraku, a surreal fist-and-sword epic starring Josh Hartnett, Demi Moore, Woody Harrelson, Kevin McKid, and Ron Perlman; and Machete Maidens Unleashed, the titillating story of 1970s exploitation films from the Philippines.

Want more? Event organizers are encouraging you to produce an action movie of your own—and it only has to be 30 seconds. As part of ActionFest 2, you can compete in the ActionFest 30 Seconds of Action Challenge.