Walking on Water

“Good Friends – Bad Behaviour”

Director – Tony Ayres

Writer – Roger Monk

Director of Photography – Robert Humphreys

Producer – Liz Watts

Production Company – Porchlight Films, Dendy Films, Madman Cinema

Casting – Shauna Wolifson

Actors – Vince Colosimo (Charlie)

Maria Theodorakis (Anna)

Nathaniel Dean (Simon)

Nicolas Bishop (Frank)

David Bonney (Gavin)

Anna Lise Phillips (Kate)

Daniel Roberts (Carl)

Judi Farr (Margaret)

Editor – Reva Childs

Production Designer – Rebecca Cohen

Sound Designer – Liam Egan

Composer – Antony Partos

Costume Designer – Melinda Doring

Box Office Figures – Walking On Water (Dendy, September 26) $339,690

Shoot Location – Sydney during May 2001

Release Date – Germany: 10 February 2002 (Berlin International Film Festival)

UK: 4 July 2002 (Commonwealth Film Festival)

Australia: 26 September 2002

UK: 15 April 2003 (London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival)

Canada: 20 May 2003 (Toronto Inside Out Lesbian and Gay Film and Video Festival)

Canada: 8 August 2003 (Toronto)

USA: 24 October 2003 (Pittsburgh International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival)

Denmark: 15 November 2003 (Meet Australia)

Tony Ayres (Director) – Tony’s previous experience is with documentaries, television dramas and shorts. He has directing and script writing experience. Directing Walking on Water was Tony’s feature film debut. Tony attended the Australian Film, Television and Radio School as well as Melbourne’s Swinburne Institute of Technology.

Tony Ayres’ previous work – The Long Ride (script writer), 1994, Television Drama

Ghost Story (script writer), 1997, Television Drama, ABC

Soft Fruit (script editor), 1998, Drama/Comedy

The Violent Earth (co-wrote), 1997, Mini-series, Channel 9

China Dolls (director), 1998, Documentary, ABC

Mrs Craddock's Complaint (director), 1998, Short Drama, ABC

Arse (director), 1998, Short Film, SBS

Sadness – The portrait of William Yang (director), 1999, Documentary

Tony Ayres subsequent work – The Fat Boy (writer), 2002, Stage Play

Home Song Stories (director), TBA, Feature Film

Saved (director), TBA, Feature Film (could possibly be the same as the above film just with a different name)

Roger Monk (Writer) – Roger studied at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. Then started working on films in the 80’s. He is still writing for the successful television mini-series The Secret Life of us.

Roger Monk’s previous work – Mad Max 2 (Road Warrior), 1981, Feature Film

The year of Living Dangerously, early 80’s, Feature Film

Howard (writer, producer, director), 80’s, Short Film, SBS

I see said the Blind Man (writer, director), 1987, Short Film

Roger Monk’s subsequent work – The Secret Life of us (writer), Mini-series, Channel 10

Liz Watts (Producer) – Liz started out in cinematography but moved into producing. For over 10 years Liz has been working in the Film and Television industry mainly focusing on documentaries, short films and more recently feature films. She co-founded Porchlight films in 1997 along side Vincent Sheehan (also a producer). Porchlight films is an independent production company.

Liz Watts’ pervious work – One That Got Away (producer), 1997, Short Film

The Pitch (producer), 1998, Documentary, ABC

Island Style (producer), 1998, Documentary

Help Me (producer), 1999, Short Film

Buried Country (producer), 2000, Documentary

Delivery Day (producer), 2001, Short Film

Martha’s New Coat (producer), 2002, Short Film

Liz Watts’ subsequent work – Little Fish (producer), TBA (currently in pre-production) Feature Film

DVD Interviews – Tony Ayres, Roger Monk, Liz Watts, Vince Colosimo, Maria Theodorakis, Judi Farr.

Online Interviews – http://www.urbancinefile.com.au/home/view.asp?a=6561&s=Interviews ß interview with Vince Colosimo

http://www.sbs.com.au/movieshow/interviews.php3?id=125 ß Margaret Pomeranz talks to Roger Monk

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/03/28/1048653847805.html ß Jacqui Taffel with Nathaniel Dean

Online Reviews – http://www.if.com.au/reviews/walking-on-water.html ß Review by Bec Smith

http://www.abc.net.au/rn/arts/sunmorn/stories/s690025.htm ß Review by Julie Rigg
http://www.barfly.com.au/index.cfm?fuseaction=article&id=3609 ß Review by Steve Baker

Online Presence – It was easy to find information on the Internet about this film. I think this is because the film is quite current and because it has won so many awards. The main character, Charlie (played by Vince Colosimo) is well known for other films such as Chopper, Lantana and The Wog Boy. All these elements add up to the films’ strong online presence. However, I could not find as much information on this film in books and journals. I feel this is because the film fairly recent and there is no historical reason for print coverage. There would have been plenty of information about the film in newspapers at the time of release but for my purposes, I could not find any articles.

Collecting Information – I collected my information by using Australia based search engines such as www.yahoo.com.au and www.google.com.au. I usually typed in the name of the film (Walking on Water) and many options were presented to me. I found some sites appeared more often than others did. www.if.com.au is the site for an Australian Film magazine and it had reviews and interviews as well as information on the film. www.afc.gov.au is the site for the Australian Film Corporation and it had information about up and coming films and about newly financed films. There was not much coverage on the film as an international piece. There was information on the films Teddy award at the Berlin Film Festival.

Other Information on the Film

Rated – MA 15+

Duration – 90 minutes

Awards and Nominations – 2002 Berlin International Film Festival – Teddy Award for the Best Feature Film

The Reader's Prize of the Siegessaule

Brisbane International Film Festival 2002 – FIBRESCI Special Mention

Australian Film Institute Awards 2002

Nominations for * Best Director – Tony Ayres

* Best Original Screenplay – Roger Monk

* Best Lead Actor – Vince Colosimo

* Best Lead Actress – Maria Theodorakis

* Best Editing – Reva Childs

* Best Supporting Actor – Nathanial Dean

* Best Supporting Actress – Judi Farr

* Best Original Music Score – Antony Partos

* Best Sound – Liam Egan, Robert Sullivan, Delia McCarthy, Jenny T Ward

Awards for * Best Lead Actress – Maria Theodorakis

* Best Original Screenplay – Roger Monk
* Best Editing – Reva Childs
* Best Supporting Actor – Nathaniel Dean
* Best Supporting Actress – Judi Farr

Film Critics Circle of Australia 2002
Nominations for * Best Film – Liz Watts
* Best Director – Tony Ayres
* Best Original Screenplay – Roger Monk
* Best Lead Actor – Vince Colosimo
* Best Lead Actress – Maria Theodorakis
* Best Editing – Reva Childs
* Best Actress in a Supporting Role – Judi Farr
Awards for * Best Original Screenplay – Roger Monk
* Best Lead Actress – Maria Theodorakis

Synopsis

Walking on Water is an Australian film about dealing with death and how different people mourn. The film takes on a slightly humorous view while still keeping the seriousness of death a priority. Walking on Water depicts an honest view of death and the haze that grief puts people in. The characters are flawed. This portrayal of character is seen throughout Australian films. The characters are not made to be perfect; they are made to be real. Walking on Water deals with the reality of loss and grief. It brings on interesting emotions. In the past, Australian filmmakers have not had enough courage to tackle these emotions without under minding them using humour, or “taking the piss” out of the whole situation, and turning the film into a comedy. Walking on Water shows the audience what is hidden behind closed doors when someone dies.

In the beginning we are introduced to a household of individuals, though still photographs and audio of the trio laughing and talking together. The housemates are Gavin (David Bonney), Charlie (Vince Colosimo) and Anna (Maria Theodorakis). Charlie and Anna are Gavin’s best friends and they have promised to take care of Gavin until he dies. Charlie and Anna have been living with Gavin for a long time and they know what Gavin wants when he dies. The inevitable happens straight after the opening photographs. Gavin’s family comes to the household to be with Gavin during his final hours. Charlie and Anna make it clear to Gavin’s visiting family that they know how Gavin wants to go. The doctor comes to give Gavin his final doses of morphine to put Gavin to sleep but he refuses to die. The room falls silent when they all feel the time has come and Gavin has fallen off to sleep forever but Gavin then takes a huge breath forcing Charlie to grab a plastic bag, shove it over Gavin’s head and smother him until he dies. Shocked silence fills the room until the doctor asks, “Does anyone need counselling?” no one responds and the doctor takes leave.

No one speaks of the suffocation and Anna goes about organising the funeral according to Gavin’s directions. Gavin’s mother Margaret (Judi Farr) tries to help Anna but she just informs Margaret “Gavin left strict instructions, I’ve got it under control.” Charlie is haunted by flash backs of the suffocation and soon becomes dejected and miserable. Charlie’s boyfriend Frank (Nicolas Bishop) supports Charlie as best he can but Frank’s patience is wearing thin. Gavin’s little brother Simon (Nathaniel Dean) takes Gavin’s death as a reminder of all the things he has not achieved in life. Simon feels like he has missed something that Gavin always had. Simon’s wife Kate (Anna Lise Phillips) gives him time in the city alone to mourn with Gavin’s housemates.

Everyone deals with the pain of losing Gavin in his or her own way. The film offers comic relief to ease the seriousness of the general theme of the film. This comic relief comes out through the characters. Anna throws herself into planning the funeral and comical events unfold during her organisation. For instance, when Charlie and Anna go to the florist to order the flowers for the top of Gavin’s casket, Anna sternly instructs the florist on how she wants the flowers arranged. It is clear that Charlie thinks Anna is going a little over the top with her request of “red roses with no baby’s breath.” Charlie jokingly suggests that they should have an arrangement of wattle on top of the casket but Anna reminds Charlie that wattle gave Gavin hay-fever, Charlie quickly replies – “not anymore!”

Guilt occupies Charlie following his part in Gavin’s death. He searches himself for logical answers to what he did but does not find any. Charlie lashes out at a “crying girl” after Gavin’s funeral. This incident is alike the comic relief that flows through the whole film but it is also a sign that Charlie is confused and at breaking point. He knows his relationship with Frank is falling apart after Frank suggests he and Charlie should engage in a threesome with another man from a club. Without Frank, Charlie turns to devouring Gavin’s left over morphine to numb his pain.

Simon feels his life in the family business was insignificant compared to Gavin’s life of extravagance. Simon decides to take a leaf out of Gavin’s book and tries to live life the way Gavin did. He becomes sexually involved with Anna and he has his first experience with drugs in a nightclub. Anna develops an attachment to Simon because she is holding on to her past with Gavin. Simon’s first drug experience goes badly and he ends up passing out at the club. This, in addition to betraying his wife, drives Simon back to the world and life that he is familiar with.

Each character is acting immorally out of pure sorrow following Gavin’s death. There are no villains in the film because death is the villain.

Critical Uptake of the Film

· Walking on Water was made on an extremely tight budget (1.5 million) because the subject matter differed greatly from other Australian films and no one wanted to fund it.

· The actual script was written in the early 90’s.

· The script was written at a time in Roger Monk’s life when he was attending many funerals. He found some of the funerals oddly amusing and the idea for Walking on Water came from this experience.

· The first draft of Walking on Water was completed in 1991 under the working title Live and Die.

· Roger Monk knew that Australian films that were released at the same time were based on “the quirky caricatures of our society.” Walking on Water is different in relation to other films of its time.

· The casting of Colosimo and Theodorakis took place in November 2000

· Rehearsals started in April the following year after the rest of the casting was complete.

· Director Tony Ayres liked to collaborate with the actors, hearing everyone’s ideas, to create the best possible scene.

· Water was a bit of a theme for the film and when the crew was doing the pre-production, they selected a house in suburban Sydney, which happened to have a pool. The pool was not scripted but it fit in well with this theme.

· The mise-en-scene of the house included blues and greens to represent the sea and water.

· Anna’s bed, in her room, had shrine like fixtures that matched up with her personality.

· The first three weeks of shooting were very wet with rain. This helped the films theme of water and was symbolic of the sadness each character felt.

· The lighting was set up in such a way that the characters did not look glamorous or beautiful, but real and truthful.

· The film was shot with a long lens to compress the background and draw the audiences’ attention to the characters.

· The film stock was manipulated slightly to saturate the film and extract the blue-green colours that are symbolic of the water in the film.

Actors Previous Roles

Vince Colosimo – Moving out (1982)

The Wog Boy (1999)

Chopper (2000)

Lantana (2001)

Maria Theodorakis – Chartable Intent (Stage play Melbourne International Festival)

Measure for measure (Melbourne Theatre Company)

Who’s Afraid of the Working Class (Melbourne Workers Theatre)

Nathaniel Dean – First appearance in a film following his graduation from NIDA.

Nicholas Bishop – My Mother Frank (2000)

Occasional Course Language (1998)

Powder Burn (1999)

Water Rats, Heartbreak High and Wildside (Australian Television)

Judi Farr – Cloudstreet (Stage play)

Flirting (1990)

The Year my Voice Broke (1987)

Turning April

Anna Lise Phillips – The Boys (1997)

Rebel (1985)

Envy (1999)

Genre

Walking on Water falls into the Drama genre. I likened it to Lantana although it really is in a class of its own. Walking on Water is a unique film in that it deals with intense emotion. It differs from other Australian films in that it does not represent the usual stereotypical Australian caricatures. It does have its funny moments but I did not feel that these moments place the whole film into the comedy genre. The funniness Walking on Water is just an addition to the way the characters deal with the loss of their friend. In particular, the scene where the characters are spreading the ashes into the ocean and someone accidentally knocks them in. Anna exclaims “Jesus Carl!” and they go home to dry the ashes out it the microwave. After the microwave finishes its cycle and beeps, Anna turns to the others to the them know “He’s done!” This scene is added in the film to provide respite from the stern subject of the film but I do not feel it makes the film fall into the comedy category.

Gemma’s Rating - JJJJ½