Award-winning filmmaker Gabe Polsky (Red Army, In Search of Greatness, Butcher’s Crossing) returns with his boldest and strangest work yet: The Man Who Saves the World?, a fascinating new documentary that blurs the line between revelation and delusion.
Tune into Inside the Arthouse to hear Polsky discuss his latest project with co-hosts Greg Laemmle and Raphael Sbarge ahead of its opening at the Laemmle Monica Film Center on October 17th, launching off three consecutive nights of in-person Q&A sessions. (See details here.)
The film follows Patrick McCollum, an eccentric American peace activist convinced that he is destined to unite the Indigenous tribes of South America in order to save the planet. What begins as a far-fetched spiritual mission soon unfolds into a globe-spanning odyssey, at once comic, unsettling, and strangely profound.
Like his mentor Werner Herzog, Polsky is clearly drawn to characters who teeter between madness and transcendence. Here, he assumes the role of wary companion—a kind of modern-day Sancho Panza—simultaneously skeptical of McCollum’s claims yet captivated by his fervor and charisma. The film’s tension arises from precisely that duality: We’re never quite sure whether McCollum is delusional, divinely inspired, or simply tapping into a truth too strange for logic to explain away. As Jane Goodall, who appears in the film, observes, he is “probably the most extraordinary person I’ve ever met.”
Backing this one-of-a-kind journey are producers Danny McBride, David Gordon Green, and Jody Hill of Rough House Pictures, as well as Oscar-winner Peter Farrelly, who calls the film “life-affirming and timely.” The Rough House team adds, “Only a film this bizarre, inspiring, and human could feel right at home with us. This is the kind of story that makes you laugh, think, and question everything—including why you’re suddenly rooting for a jungle prophet with a machete and a dream.”
In keeping with its unconventional spirit, The Man Who Saves the World? will launch through a hybrid release with Area 23a, the company behind Fantastic Fungi and Common Ground, beginning with Bay Area sneak previews before its Los Angeles run.
“I’ve made movies featuring many extraordinary characters,” says Polsky, “but Patrick McCollum is truly one of a kind. You can’t make up a story this strange. I went on one hell of a journey and am excited to bring audiences along for the ride.”
By turns absurd, spiritual, and disarmingly sincere, The Man Who Saves the World? asks whether salvation lies in faith, delusion, or sheer human will—and whether we’d recognize the difference if we saw it.
“The Man Who Saves the World? is one of my favorite documentaries in years — leave it to Gabe Polsky to track down and chronicle one of the most colorful characters and craziest stories ever captured on film.” – Scott Feinberg, The Hollywood Reporter