EXCLUSIVE: Gravitas Ventures has acquired U.S. rights to The Rise of Jordan Peterson, a feature documentary directed by Patricia Marcoccia about the controversial Canadian psychology professor-turned-YouTube philosopher. A day-and-date rollout in theaters and on-demand is set for October 29.

Marcoccia charts the rise of Peterson, who in 2016 sparked outrage and support for his stand against political correctness and Canadian human rights legislation in late 2016, leading to his rise as a global intellectual. His 2018 book 12 Rules For Life, has been published in 50 languages and has sold more than 3 million copies. His YouTube videos are nearing 150 million views.

The pic offers a rare, intimate glimpse into the controversial period that led to his rise in profile. “Even people who think they’ve seen it all have not seen what we’ve been able to capture in this film,” Marcoccia said. “It’s always been important to me that the film remains nuanced, honest and human, especially in the polarized and explosive media landscape we’re currently in.”

“Gravitas is excited to release The Rise of Jordan Peterson,with director Patricia Marcoccia, who was at the forefront of documenting Peterson’s life,” said Nolan Gallagher, CEO and founder of Gravitas Ventures. “The documentary gives audiences a deeper look into the controversy surrounding Peterson. Whether you agree or disagree with him, we believe audiences will find the documentary captivating.”

Gallagher negotiated the deal with executive producer Paul Kemp and producers Marcoccia and Maziar Ghaderi.