genesis synopsis
A PLUNGE INTO THE UNKNOWN
The story of Mushka Water, or Mushka Voda-the true Serbo-Croatian name, was originally genesised in Cameron's head, but merged into cohesive order after an article came out in the Los Angeles Times about a legendary spring in Brateljevici, Bosnia - Herzegovina.
The original script was only 45 pages long and was rigorously combed over by Cameron and his friend Lewis John Carlino. Cameron then put an advertisement in Backstage West describing the project and received over 500 resumes from interested actors who were intrigued by the synopsis. Cameron knew on first auditions the actors that really fitted the roles and had the same sense of commitment to his story. The minimal but highly professional crew was recruited from friends and friends of friends, as was the use of a camera and sound equipment.
Locations were also secured through friends or trusting acquaintances, including the Hollywood apartment of Bulgarian busboy Dimitri, a fashionable restaurant in West Hollywood, two apartments in Studio City, a shop, and a party house in Ojai. Some exterior shots were also done in Kiev, Ukraine, where Johann has a production company called Radioacktive Film. Principal photography of the original script was completed in five days. Pickup and B-roll shots were sporadic and totaled another five days.
After several harrowing months of editing the decision to expand the long short into a feature was reached and eight more scenes were written. These scenes served to clarify and helped expand the quirky story. The story was now in place, and with the physical and financial help in post-production of Camilla More and Lisa McLaughlin-Strassman, the film was then blessed with the possibility of a completion date, just in time for it's debut at the Hatch Film Festival in Bozeman, Montana.
synopsis
A mysterious spring is hidden deep in the mountains of Bosnia, named Mushka Voda, which translates as "Men’s Water". Locals swear that when a man drinks from the spring he will become more virile.
Director Cameron Lowe takes this Eastern European fable and weaves it into a unique and surprising story of a young man’s rite of passage into the world of passion and love.
The story starts in the local village of Brateljevici where an old man has been driven insane by his addiction to the famed water – and the lack of it. The spring, long dried up, is rumored to now be flowing again and old Ibrahim races maniacally to its source. Through a cosmic upheaval set off by Ibrahim this special water gushes deep through the center of the earth to appear in the bathroom pipes of one single apartment in Los Angeles, California. As the wisdom goes, ‘the water always finds the man who needs it most’. The tenant of this apartment, Fortimbras Sangster, unwittingly gets a taste of the water and quickly becomes addicted to its properties. He feels more alive, more charismatic and attractive – this overrides the fact that he can only extract this intoxicating elixir from his toilet.
Beautiful, exotic Marina is immediately attracted to Fortimbras, who is perplexed and confused by her attentions. Addicted to both the Mushka Water and Marina’s beguiling sensual presence he opens up and allows himself to be led through the labyrinth of the heart.
Clinging to obsessive love and in the grips of the water’s addiction, Fortimbras is forced to make the most important choice of his life.
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