Corona del Mar rowing star makes filmmaking debut

Richard Dunn

NEWPORT BEACH -- Brad Lewis, a former Corona del Mar High School

rowing standout and 1984 Olympic gold medalist in the double sculls, will

make his debut as an independent filmmaker today in the Newport Beach

Film Festival at the Edwards Lido Theater.

Lewis, the last American rower to win an Olympic gold medal, has

produced a documentary film titled “A Fine Balance.” It will be shown at

1 p.m. today.

“I know that’s not exactly prime moviegoing time, but there will be a

lot of rowers there from the local colleges,” said Lewis, whose film is

about the three-time world champion U.S. men’s eight rowing team and its

quest for Olympic gold at the 2000 Sydney Games, where the boat ended a

disappointing fifth.

“I tell people it’s like Shakespeare -- everybody dies at the end,”

Lewis said, tongue in cheek.

Lewis, who won his double-sculling gold with Paul Enquist, has worked

on several HBO movie projects and has been on his own since September

1999.

“Of all the films in the film festival, I’ll bet mine had the lowest

budget,” quipped Lewis, whose film cost about $23,000. “In a regular

movie setting, $23,000 wouldn’t pay for the crew to have lunch.”

Lewis was part of the first Corona del Mar High rowing team under

Coach Mark Sandusky in 1971, before the Newport Aquatic Center was built.