When Gabe Polsky premiered his latest documentary, The Man Who Saves the World? big streamers weren't interested.
“I made a splash and showed it to all the usual suspects,” Polsky says. “They thought it was too far away.”
Revolving around Patrick McCollum, a 75-year-old eccentric peace activist who believes he was chosen by an ancient prophecy to help unite the indigenous tribes of South America to save the Amazon and the planet from environmental destruction, the 85-minute film is undeniably surreal. Even Polsky was initially skeptical of McCollum, a jack-of-all-trades, ordained chaplain who, before promoting peace in countries around the world, served as a prison chaplain for Charles Manson and the Menendez brothers and created jewelry for members of the British royal family.
Producer Doug DeLuca introduced Polsky to McCollum in 2023.
“Doug knows some stupid people in this world, and he said, 'Listen. I heard this story. It's really crazy, but I think maybe you should get on the phone and listen to this guy,” Polsky says. “I did, and I immediately thought this guy was crazy.”
Despite his initial hesitation, Polsky (“Red Army”) eventually decided to follow McCollum in an attempt to fulfill the prophecy.
“I really had nothing to lose except my time,” Polsky says.
The director appears in the doc and frequently expresses his skepticism, which creates an attractive dynamic between him and McCollum. Just when Polsky can't help but feel part of the madman's pretense, Jane Goodall appears.
“I can honestly say that Patrick is one of the most extraordinary and inspiring people I have had the pleasure of knowing and whom I consider a true friend,” Goodall says in the film.
“Jane was a total game changer,” Polsky says. “I knew this film would be very difficult to make if I didn't have her because his story is so incredible.”
To say that “The Man Who Saves the World?” funny is putting it mildly. It's a fun character study that touches on environmental issues. But while Polaski is that rare documentary that combines humor and urgency, Polaski's inability to find a mainstream distributor has made it difficult to find an audience for the film. So, the director turned to several Hollywood heavyweights, including Peter Farrelly, Danny McBride And David Gordon Greento help spread the word about their doc by signing on as executive producers.
“Danny and I were watching clips and saying, 'This is amazing. How do we find a home for this doc, knowing that it has a unique spirit and eccentricity that doesn't necessarily fit into the standard depressing film festival doc,” Green says. “It’s something different, and that’s what our company just loves to support.”
McBride said his and Green's company Rough House Pictures, which is an executive producer of the 2023 HBO documentary “Telemarketers,” is trying to protect the filmmakers whose voices they believe.
“If, surprisingly, our participation can help them reach a wider audience, we feel it is our duty to get involved and help wherever we can,” McBride says.
In July, Area 23a, the company known for distributing the 2019 doc Fantastic Mushrooms, signed on to produce the hybrid, experience-based release The Man Who Saves the World? across the country in cities including Portland and Seattle. The award-winning film opened in Los Angeles on October 17.
“This documentary is a great journey and gives hope,” Farrelly says. “That's the main reason I wanted to be part of this film. It's a very hopeful vision and it's what we need right now.”
“The man who saves the world?” is now playing in limited theaters starting in New York. The film will open in additional markets in November with theatrical releases in Chicago and Orlando, as well as major theatrical events in Minneapolis and Charleston.
