Casting call: Want to be in a movie?
Maine filmmakers to start shooting Reversing Falls in September on Blue Hill Peninsula
Still Shot from the Promotional Trailer of Reversing Falls at the old bridge of the Blue Hill Falls. Photo Courtesy of Rusticator Pictures.
Aug. 26, 2026
By Maizy Weirich
A Maine film couple, Desi Van Til and Sean Mewshaw, are hosting an open casting call for their latest film, Reversing Falls, and this time, they are filming locally. Auditions will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 2 from 5-8 p.m. in Central Hall in South Blue Hill.
Amid a hectic few weeks of preparation, the couple is getting ready to finalize their cast. For small speaking roles, they are looking for one woman between the ages of 85 to 90, and two men in their early 20s. They are also casting extras to portray locals.
“People of all ethnicities, ages, genders, and types are encouraged to apply. This is an open casting call and no experience is necessary,” according to a casting call announcement and online application.
Reversing Falls is a father-daughter dramedy, Van Til said in an interview with The Rising Tide – a mix between a drama and comedy – set in a fictionalized version of a wooden boat-building school on the coast of Maine. The backdrop is inspired by the actual WoodenBoat School in Brooklin.
Van Til, who grew up in Farmington, has long had an appreciation for the natural beauty of the Blue Hill Peninsula, which she and her family have visited for almost 20 years.
“This is just an incredibly meaningful part of the world to us. Our favorite times as a family have been in this part of Maine, ” Van Til said.
In addition to searching for local cast members, the couple is looking for an RV camper that can be rented at a discounted rate or loaned.
Their first film, Tumbledown (2016) starring Rebecca Hall and Jason Sudeikis, was set in Van Til’s hometown of Farmington. But the lack of film incentives in the state forced production to head south for filming in Massachusetts, Van Til said.
This time around, the couple is eager to create the film where it takes place – in Brooklin, the self-described “wooden boat capital of the world.”
“We are excited to have the opportunity to try to tell a story about this place, and that honors the craftsmanship that Brooklin represents,” Van Til said.
Although filming in a more rural part of the country has its challenges with staffing and housing a crew, the couple has received plenty of “Maine hospitality” from the community.
“We feel very supported by so many generous people in this community who are letting us put our crew in their beautiful homes,” Van Til said.
To learn more about Van Til and Mewshaw’s productions, visit their website.
