Academy Award winner Brendan Fraser has come on board as executive producer for Saving Superman, an Oscar-qualifying short documentary that celebrates empathy, resilience, and community spirit, reported Variety.
Directed by Adam Oppenheim and Samuel-Ali Mirpoorian, the film tells the extraordinary true story of Jonathan, a 57-year-old man on the autism spectrum who has long been a beloved figure in Glen Ellyn, a small suburb near Chicago. Known for donning his Superman costume and embodying the hero’s ideals, Jonathan has been a fixture in the town’s Fourth of July Parade for nearly thirty years. When his home came under threat from a new property owner, his friend Julie and the local community united in a grassroots effort to help him keep it.
“Jonathan is the hero to ask for — and the one we need,” Fraser said in a statement. “It’s been said that not all heroes wear capes, but this one does. With dignity and empathy, he stands his ground and reminds us what true strength looks like. His compassion and courage embody the real meaning of truth and justice. I stand shoulder to shoulder with Jonathan.”
The short, released by Switchboard Magazine, is now available to stream for free on the publication’s website. Produced by Oppenheim, Mirpoorian, and Julie Spiller, Saving Superman also lists Celia Aniskovich and Duncan Lindsay (for Switchboard Magazine), John Hoffman (The Barber of Little Rock), Ryan Mazie, Marjon Javadi, Mike Tudeen, Marcella Tudeen, Stephen Shaya, and Gary Burkart among its executive producers.
Having already made waves on the festival circuit, Saving Superman has screened at more than 60 festivals—including 18 Oscar-qualifying events—and taken home over ten awards, making it one of the most decorated documentary shorts of the year. Its notable appearances include the Chicago International Film Festival, Indy Shorts, Mountainfilm, the Cleveland International Film Festival, and DOC NYC.
Fraser’s collaboration with the filmmakers coincides with his own ongoing awards momentum. The actor is currently receiving acclaim for his performance in Hikari’s Rental Family, distributed by Searchlight Pictures, which has won multiple audience awards and positioned him as a strong best actor contender this season.