Director Paul Michael Angeli, producer Vladimer Daniel MEDICINE MAN: SLO FILM FEST 2021 INTERVIEWS

Director Paul Michael Angeli, producer Vladimer Daniel MEDICINE MAN: SLO FILM FEST 2021 INTERVIEWS

Paul Michael Angeli’s documentary, MEDICINE MAN: THE STAN BROCK STORY, which shared the Best Documentary Jury Prize for the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival, tells the remarkable life story of Amazonian cowboy turned U.S. TV star, Stan Brock, who sacrificed everything to dedicate himself to a single-minded and relentless push to bring free healthcare via the Remote Area Medical organization to millions of people in need around the United States.

It is a heart-warming tribute to the accomplishment achieved thanks to his penchant to lead by example and inspire others to volunteer for the greater good, and an exploration of a perennial outsider’s search for meaning through selflessness and deep compassion.

Angeli manages to balance a life’s journey that spanned continents from British prep school to the Amazon to nearly every rural corner of the US as Brock led a life we could only imagine, including literally capturing giant anacondas and other exotic beasts while starring on the classic Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom television show.

Tracing that path alone would have made for a satisfying film.

However, it turned out to be but a warm up, a preliminary chapter to Brock’s eventual calling, which was to become the leader and front man and the energizing force willing the Remote Area Medical organization and its mission into existence as well as sustaining it for years.

What is striking, just as it is with the man himself, is the film’s low key demonstration of humanity and caring for those less fortunate that we have no connection to other than we are all human beings.

The lack of health care in this country is shocking to anyone on the most basic level, so it’s easy to fall into either a preachy stance or a never ending factoids that rain down on a viewer to little or no effect, the magic of Stan Brock is that he was all about results, therefore (as demonstrated in the film) routinely, his greatest commentary would be the heartfelt hug received by someone his efforts had helped to make them more healthy.

MEDICINE MAN: THE STAN BROCK STORY reflects that very well.

In the interview, Paul and producer Vladimer Daniel talk about what inspired them to make the film and take on Stan Brock’s life as a subject, as well as the efforts to balance what they were personally interested in with what they believed audiences would really be interested in. They also talk about their approach to filming and putting the elements of the film together, including concerns that they would thoroughly examine the experience of the Remote Area Medical pop up clinics. We also laugh over my memories of watching Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom when I was a kid.

Director Paul Michael Angeli, producer Vladimer Daniel MEDICINE MAN: SLO FILM FEST 2021 INTERVIEWS