Adventure. A word that has different meanings to different people. For Dr. Steven Faulkner and his son Justin, adventure takes on a new meaning through the film "Waterwalk," which had its world premiere at Longwood University in Jarman Auditorium on April 16. The producer, director and three actors from the movie came to campus for the premiere and asked for feedback on the film after the event.
Cast and crew members Robert Cicchini, Chase Maser, Mary MacDonald Kerr and Roger Rapoport were on campus to introduce the film and be the hosts of the evening. Cicchini introduced the film as the director and one of its stars, along with Maser.
The film begins with Justin Faulkner (Maser) driving down the road, passing several people along the way, texting while driving and eventually crashing into a ditch and flipping the car. The film then flashes back 18 months, where Steven Faulkner (Cicchini) is receiving a National Obituary Writers Award. While in the airport, his wife, Joy Faulkner (Kerr), encourages him to finally get started on his book. Steven is very adamant that he does not have a book. Joy encourages him again, saying he just has to find it.
The next scene shows Steven, Joy and Justin talking about how Steven has lost his job at the Blue Lake News. Joy suggests Steven take this opportunity to work on his book. While Steven says once again that he does not have a book, Justin suggests his book be about adventure.
Justin eventually gets the idea for a canoe trip with his father as a bonding experience before he leaves for college.
Justin eventually talks Steven into taking the trip with him with Joy's help, and they embark on the adventure of a lifetime, following the same route as Marquette and Joliet.
The two buy a canoe and embark from St. Ignace toward St. Louis, encountering many different obstacles along the way, including almost drowning upon finding the floodgates open on the Fox River in Wisconsin, issues of race, which are brought up by Justin, issues of adoption and love being equally distributed between the children.
Steven and Justin eventually make it all the way to St. Louis, where the rest of the Faulkner family is waiting for them on the river. The movie ends with Steven Faulkner reading from his completed book, "Waterwalk," at a bookstore reading, followed by a scene of Justin and his wife and their two children canoeing on the river.
"Waterwalk" was Cicchini's feature film directorial debut, and he was offered the starring role. He was not originally supposed to direct the movie; however, the directing reins were passed to him. He enjoyed working with Maser because their personalities fit together and said that the two are "friends primarily" and coworkers secondarily.
The biggest adventure Cicchini has ever embarked on personally was when he quit school for a year and traveled to Europe. He said the trip was a "tremendous learning experience for me."
Maser said his audition was basically a typical movie audition process; he received a call from his agent, called Rapaport for an audition and was called in for a read-through with Cicchini. A week-and-a-half later, he received another call from his agent that he had gotten the part. He absolutely loved filming with Cicchini and learned a lot from him.
When Maser was asked about the biggest adventure he had ever taken in his life, he detailed his journey from Kalamazoo, Miss. to Los Angeles, Calif. He made the move when he was 18. He had a crazy drive and slept on people's couches on his way to Los Angeles. He also said he kept getting kicked out of casinos while he was in Las Vegas, Nev. because they were carding at the gambling tables. Maser can also be seen in the film "The Lake Effect," starring Kay Panabaker, and "The Lines," a YouTube series.
Kerr was cast after a long process, which eventually led to a table reading with Cicchini, which led directly to a part in the movie. She said her working experience with Cicchini and Maser was lovely and too short. They were both very accessible and very interested in scene work. She also said, "Chase is a ball of charisma."
"Waterwalk" opens in select theaters in early May.
Students Cameron Wright (left) and Emily Stern (right) pose with actor Chase Maser.
