“The Water Man” marks his directorial debut and stars David Oyelowo (“Selma”), Rosario Dawson (“Sin City,” “Rent”), Lonnie Chavis (“This Is Us”), Amiah Miller (“War for the Planet of the Apes”), Alfred Molina (“Spider-Man 2”), and Maria Bello (“NCIS”). Harpo Films produced the film, with Oprah Winfrey serving as an Executive Producer. Considering the serious roles we’ve seen Oyelowo inhabit, you might not peg him for making a Speilberg-ian fantasy adventure family movie for his feature-length debut, but that’s exactly what he’s done.
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Here’s the official synopsis:
Gunner (Lonnie Chavis) sets out on a quest to save his ill mother (Rosario 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 (Amiah 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 (David Oyelowo), who will stop at nothing to find them.
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Here’s Oyelowo’s director’s statement:
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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!
“The Water Man” made its directorial debut at the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival, and RLJE Films releases the film on May 7. Watch the first trailer below.