Documentary ‘The Man Who Saves the World?’ Profiles a Character Unlike Any We’ve Seen Before 

Chances are you’ve never met anyone quite like Patrick McCollum. The subject of filmmaker Gabe Polsky’s documentary The Man Who Saves the World? has a list of credentials as long as it is wide: reverend, peace advocate, Indigenous rights activist, kung fu master, deep sea diver, do-it-yourself homebuilder, self-taught luthier and violinist, Wiccan advisor to the Pentagon, interfaith prison chaplain (to Charles Manson and the Menendez brothers, no less), Ghanaian monarch (“I’m a king,” he tells Polsky, “but I’m a minor king over a region that has, like, 20,000 people or something”), and — most importantly — the man prophesied to unite the native peoples of the Amazon and save the planet. 

If that sounds far-fetched, well, Polsky is right there with you. “Initially, once I met him, I said, ‘Wow, this guy is unbelievable, fascinating,’” Polsky said. “But I thought, ‘Well, maybe he’s full of it.’”

That doubt is at the thematic center of The Man Who Saves The World? After the film screened at the Riviera Theatre on Sunday morning, Polsky appeared in front of the audience for a conversation with Santa Barbara International Film Festival Executive Director Roger Durling. He spoke about navigating the uncertainty and ambiguity surrounding McCollum’s mission.

“I had a lot of fear that this was just craziness and silliness, but the movie shouldn’t hinge on whether the Amazon is saved or not. The movie should hinge on the deep meaning and expression that’s happening underneath this,” Polsky said. 

Polsky acts as audience stand-in and straight man, following McCollum from his Moraga house to a remote New Mexico homestead, a world religions conference in Chicago, an Indigenous village in the mountains of Colombia, and beyond. The Reverend’s eccentric personality immediately registers — the film is more interested in McCollum as a character than in the outcome of his quest. But while there’s no shortage of McCollum’s astounding claims and one-liners (“My very first war that I ever stopped was in Africa”), Polsky also reveals the man’s immense passion and care for the world around him. 

It’s a humorous film with some serious heart.

Nonetheless, it’s not your traditional “save the rainforest” movie. “As humans, I believe we have to look at what’s happening in the Amazon, but I didn’t want to make this something like thousands of other environmental films, doom and gloom, everything’s gonna end,” said Polsky. “It’s this entertaining, artistic way, and sort of a weird way, that can provoke people.”

A notable film producer initially put Polsky in touch with McCollum. From their very first phone call, Polsky was struck by the Reverend’s peculiar magnetism. The story spiraled from there. 

“Did you have any idea where the plot was going to go, where the story was going to lead?” asked Durling. 

“I did not have any idea,” said Polsky. “It was so different than anything I’ve ever done documentary-wise or narrative-film-wise.”

Though he sometimes employed a full film crew, Polsky shot much of The Man Who Saves the World? alone — just himself and a handheld camera. It was a decision that was part logistical, part financial, and part artistic. The result is a film that is earnest and intimate. “I just felt like, it’s not about making everything look so beautiful and perfectly shot,” he said. “Sometimes there’s more character when I’m just holding the camera.”

The documentary also features a striking supporting cast, including some renowned environmental and Indigenous leaders. The late Jane Goodall makes a particularly memorable appearance. “I’m her mentor,” McCollum says, eliciting a wave of laughter from the incredulous audience. But when Polsky video calls the iconic conservationist, she confirms it. “He really is probably the most extraordinary person I’ve met,” says Goodall. 

The Man Who Saves The World? is compelling and original, regardless of whether you find yourself convinced of McCollum’s role in the prophecy. “I was blown away by your documentary,” Durling said to Polsky. “I’ve never seen a documentary or a film where I’m constantly on edge. One moment, I’m going, ‘Okay, I get where this is going.’ And the next moment I’m going, ‘What the fuck is going on here?’”

“It was one of the most enriching viewing experiences I’ve had in a while,” Durling added.

The film will be available to rent online at themanwhosavestheworld.com beginning in mid-May, and will be released on Amazon and AppleTV at the end of June.