When Gabe Polsky pitched his latest documentary, “The Man Who Saved the World?”, it wasn’t of interest to major streamers.
“I made a fuss and told all the usual suspects,” Polsky says. “It felt too far away for them.”
The 85-minute film, which revolves around Patrick McCollum, an eccentric 75-year-old peace activist who believes he has been chosen by an ancient prophecy to unite indigenous South American tribes to save the Amazon and the planet from environmental destruction, is undeniably surreal. Even Polsky was initially skeptical of McCollum. Before promoting peace in countries around the world, Mr. McCallum was a jack-of-all-trades clergyman who served as prison chaplain to Charles Manson and the Menendez brothers and designed jewelry for members of the British royal family.
Producer Doug DeLuca introduced Polsky to McCollum in 2023.
“Doug knows some weird people in this world, and he said, ‘Look, I heard this story. It’s really crazy, but I think you should pick up the phone and listen to this guy,'” says Polsky. “I did, and right away I thought this guy was crazy.”
Despite his initial hesitation, Polsky (“Red Army”) ultimately decides to follow McCollum, who seeks to fulfill the prophecy.
“We had nothing to lose except time,” Polsky says.
The director appears in the doc and often expresses skepticism, which creates a push-pull dynamic between him and McCallum. Just when Polsky feels he can’t help but feel like he’s part of a madman’s fake, Jane Goodall appears.
“I can honestly say that Patrick is one of the most extraordinary and inspiring people I’ve ever had the good fortune to know and count as a true friend,” Goodall says in the film.
“Jane was an absolute game changer,” Polsky says. “His story is so incredible that I knew it would be very difficult to make this movie without her.”
Do you mean “the man who saves the world”? Interesting is an understatement. He is a cheerful person who tackles environmental issues. However, despite being a rare documentary that combines humor and suspense, the film had difficulty finding an audience as director Polaski was unable to find a mainstream distributor. So the director asked several Hollywood heavyweights, including Peter Farrelly, Danny McBride, and David Gordon Green, to sign on as executive producers and spread the word about his work.
“Danny and I saw the cut and said this is great. How do you find a place for this doc when you know this movie has a unique spirit and quirky quality and doesn’t necessarily check the boxes for a normal film festival depressing doc,” Green says. “It’s something different, and that’s what our company ultimately wants to support.”
McBride and Green’s Rough House Pictures, which executive produced the 2023 HBO documentary “Telemarketers,” said they are trying to advocate for filmmakers with the voices they believe in.
“Oddly enough, if our participation allows us to reach a wider audience, we feel like it’s our duty to participate and lend a hand in any way we can,” McBride says.
In July, Area 23a, known for distributing 2019’s doc Fantastic Fungi, signed on to release a hybrid experience-based release of The Man Who Saves the World? In cities across the country, including Portland and Seattle. On October 17, the film began screening in theaters for awards in Los Angeles.
“This documentary is an amazing journey and full of hope,” Farrelly says. “That’s the main reason I wanted to be a part of this film. It’s such a hopeful vision, and that’s what we need right now.”
“The Man Who Saves the World?” is currently being released in limited theaters starting in New York. The film will hit theaters in Chicago and Orlando in November and will be expanded to additional markets, including major theatrical events in Minneapolis and Charleston.
