Hot Picks: The Pez Outlaw

Feature documentary The Pez Outlaw taps into the emerging trend for ‘bloodless’ true crime. The quirky fish-out-of-water story follows Steve Glew, a small-town Michigan man who made millions of dollars selling collectable Pez dispensers in the 1990s.

It is distributed internationally by Fifth Season, whose executive director, acquisitions, Liz Tang says she fell in love with the 87-minute film when she saw it on the international festival circuit in 2022. “It’s an incredible crime-adjacent scam story, with a light tone and great production values. I loved the fact it is an international espionage story based around smuggling sweets.”

Steve Glew was an ordinary man who saw an opportunity to make a lot of money by importing Pez dispensers, Tang says.

“He realised there was a lack of communication between Pez in the US and Pez International. So not long after the fall of the Berlin Wall, he went to Eastern Europe to locate a secret factory that was producing valuable Pez dispensers sought after by collectors. He then smuggled them into US and made so much money he was able to pull his family out of debt and quit his job of 25 years.”

Every good true crime story needs a twist, and this comes in the shape of Pez International boss Scott McWhinnie – aka The Pezident – who spotted what Glew was up to and vowed to destroy him.

The story is told as a colourful, offbeat retrospective, with the now much-older Glew interviewed throughout the film and reconstructing scenes from the 1990s. “It’s a beautifully shot film,” says Tang.

The film was produced by Sidestilt, the company behind acclaimed factual film The Legend Of Cocaine Island. “Directors Amy Bandlien Storkel and Bryan Storkel have a great track record, as do executive producers Chris Smith [Tiger King] and Theo Love [McMillions],” says Tang. “It feels like a best-in-category production that will travel well.”

The film has already aired on Netflix in the US, where it quickly established itself as a top 10 title. Tang says Fifth Season is now taking offers from buyers around the world. “We teased it at London Screenings and will be having follow-up conversations with potential partners at Mip TV in Cannes. Mip TV is a good market for the film because of its focus on premium factual.”

Exploring the show’s international appeal, Tang cites several factors in its favour. One is the format, with single documentaries back in vogue among streamers, premium pay-TV channels and free channels. Another is the cross-border dimension of the story.

“At one level, The Pez Outlaw is one of those very local stories that resonates internationally. But at the same time, the audience go on a journey across the US, post-Cold War Germany and Eastern Europe. I also think the global audience’s familiarity with Pez will stimulate curiosity.”

Tang believes the lighter tone of the show will also resonate with buyers: “Heavy crime stories are still in demand. But after the pandemic, I think there’s also room for lighter stories with a happy ending. Steve broke the law, but he was also an underdog – and you can’t help rooting for him.”