Interview by Paul Salfen
ONLY IN THEATERS: May 7, 2021
Paul Salfen talks to Lonnie Chavis about his role in THE WATER MAN.
CAST: David Oyelowo, Rosario Dawson, Lonnie Chavis, Amiah Miller, Alfred Molina, Maria Bello
SYNOPSIS: Gunner (Chavis) sets out on a quest to save his ill mother (Dawson) by searching for a mythic figure who possesses the secret to immortality, the Water Man. After enlisting the help of a mysterious local girl, Jo (Miller), they journey together into the remote Wild Horse forest — but the deeper they venture, the stranger and more dangerous the forest becomes. Their only hope for rescue is Gunner’s father (Oyelowo), who will stop at nothing to find them and in the process will discover who his son really is.
DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT:
In this story, Gunner Boone moves to a tiny rural town from the big city with his mother and father, in the hope that his sick mother will fare better there. Unfortunately, his mother gets worse. Through a local girl named Jo, Gunner discovers the local legend of “The Water Man” who is said to live deep in the woods and has the gift of cheating death. Gunner and Jo set out to find him and so our adventure begins. THE WATER MAN is a story about how far a heroic young boy will go to save his mother. It’s about sacrificial love, hope and overcoming adversity. I grew up loving family films that have adventure, fantasy and jeopardy whilst never patronizing their young protagonists. As a father to four children, I want to share films with my kids that both entertain and equip them for the highs and lows that lie ahead. I relish watching films with them that both transport our family to a different world and then leave us having meaningful conversations. I love films that do that, so I set out to make one for them, other families and, hopefully, the whole world! David Oyelowo
