REVERSE
REVERSE (Short Film - 2008)
Director:
William B. Davis
Writer:
William B. Davis
Starring:
William B. Davis and Sheila Moore
Music:
John Mills-Cockell
Reverse was screened at the Vancouver and Whistler film festivals.
To purchase a signed copy of Reverse, go to the shop.
Plot:
A formerly athletic retiree has a crippling heart attack in his late sixties. He challenges his fate to compete again in the National Water Ski Championships. A unique sports film that combines Davis' interest in the meaning of life and his passion for the sport of water skiing.
Director's Notes:
My last two short films have dealt with ageing and retirement and by corollary, the meaning of life. If there is no divine reason for our existence, and I don't believe there is, then our lives are what we make of them. We create our own infrastructure which gives us meaning. But what happens to an individual when that infrastructure is challenged, by retirement in Packing Up and by failing health in Reverse?
I am grateful to my ski colleagues from long ago, John Pepper and Chris Martin, with whom I spent many happy hours before I moved to BC. Their devotion to skiing in general and trick skiing in particular, and finally to life itself, has given me inspiration for this film.
Production:
So many people came together to make this film possible, Jessica Cheung who produced, Tom Braidwood who as 1st AD solved problem after problem, Jonathan Joffe who kept an eye when I could not, John Mills-Cockell who created a marvellous score, Rick Garbutt who challenged the elements to get great shots, ably assisted by Patrick Aull, Jackie Lind who volunteered her time and knowledge of the Alberta casting pool to get us the fine Alberta actors, Greg Lawson, Dan Libman and Griffin Cork. And then there was Eric Spoeth, Paige K. Bonnetta, Paolo Cuervo in Alberta and Amy Belling in Vancouver and Christina Church in both. And Mark Ratzlaff who did a ton of work in the editing room. And we are forever grateful to the Predator Bay Water Ski Club in general and Cindy Hawkins in particular. And to hot skier Brent Janzen for getting out his trick ski for us. And to my old ski buddy Mike Gazely of Schuswap Ski and Board.
