2026 Paddling Film Festival
The 2026 Paddling Film Festival World Tour kicked off with The Complete Paddler hosting the premiere on January 22, 2026. As not all winning and featured films were shown at the premiere, we’re screening the remaining selections in-store over three additional nights.
Event Information
Location: The Complete Paddler, 2045 Dundas St. E, Mississauga, ON L4X 1M2
Cost: Single ticket $15, Weekend Bundle $30.00
Timeline: 7:00pm start and 9:30pm end
Intermission: 15 minutes midway through the program
Food & Drink: Popcorn, snacks, and alcoholic & non-alcoholic beverages available for purchase. Doors & bar open at 6:00 PM
Parking & Transit: Free overnight parking on-site; TTC access nearby.
Night One: Friday, March 6th 2026
Night Two: Saturday, March 7th 2026
Night Three: Sunday, March 8th 2026
Weekend Bundle: March 6th, 7th & 8th. (Access to all showings)
Paddling Film Festival Description
The Paddling Film Festival showcases some of the best paddling films in the world. This international competition begins in Toronto with The Complete Paddler hosting before beginning its year-long tour across the globe and screening to over 30,000 outdoor enthusiasts and their families. The festival recognizes the best paddling films in a series of categories like best whitewater kayaking film, best canoeing film, best fishing film etc. It aims to inspire more people to explore rivers, lakes and oceans, push physical and emotional extremes, embrace the lifestyle and appreciate the heritage of the wild places we paddle.
Charity Partner
All event proceeds will be donated to Project Canoe, a charity that empowers youth facing barriers through outdoor programs, including wilderness canoe trips and urban nature activities. By connecting young people with nature, Project Canoe helps build confidence, leadership, and life skills, making the outdoors accessible to all.
Tickets can be purchased in-store, by phone at (416) 255-6905, or online. All tickets will be held at the door for pickup, all you need to bring is your emailed confirmation of ticket purchase.
Please note: Each screening night has a separate product page. Ensure you select your preferred night before purchasing. The Three Night Bundle offers access to all showings.
Door Prizes
Select door prizes will be given away each night! Your show ticket, received upon entry, doubles as your door prize ticket. Winners will be announced during the 15-minute intermission, so be sure to stick around for your chance to win.
Join us early to connect with fellow paddlers and enjoy an evening of inspiring films, community, and a chance to win some great prizes.
Night One: March 6th 2026
River Mamma (Winner, Rafting Category, Not Shown At Premiere)
Directed By: Sarah Hamilton
Duration: 10 Minutes
Whitewater is Elisha McArthur’s everything. Her passion, her happy place, her career. Then, she welcomed her daughter into the world. After Charlotte was born, Elisha struggled to balance her passion for whitewater with the demands of being a single mom. She had no precedent to follow and no way to know if both were possible. River Mamma, a short film by Sarah Hamilton, is a tribute to motherhood, honouring the strength it takes to nurture others while staying true to your own passions.
The 3100
Directed By: Mark Fisher
Duration: 50 Minutes
The 3100 is a cinematic exploration of Idaho’s 3,100 miles of navigable whitewater, the most found anywhere in the Lower 48. This film showcases the state’s most rugged and revered whitewater river systems, while highlighting the power of experiencing wild places at any age. Through the voices of those who know these rivers best, this film reveals the transformative power of Idaho’s whitewater rivers.
A Non-Stop Endurance Challenge: The Brent Run
Directed By: Josh Ankenmann
Duration: 17 Minutes
The Brent Run is a 162-kilometer endurance canoe challenge in Algonquin Park, Ontario, traveling from Canoe Lake to the town of Brent and back in as little time as possible. This documentary tells the story of how two families completed the challenge in under 40 hours each to help raise over $125,000 to send kids in need to Camp Mini-Yo-We.
Nocturne
Directed By: Casey Bryant Jones
Duration: 6 Minutes
Shot entirely at night, Nocturne captures athlete Heidi Walsh and the quiet chaos and beauty of paddling under stars. Every ripple glows in the light emitted from the LED lights adorning Heidi's equipment. It is a study in contrast, darkness and illumination, where every stroke becomes poetry in motion. Shot on the Ottawa River, Canada.
The Celebration
Directed By: Duane Peterson III
Duration: 30 Minutes
A dedicated group of paddlers embarks on a seven-day journey along Vermont’s Upper Missisquoi and Trout rivers, celebrating the 10th anniversary of their Wild & Scenic designation. Navigating 46 miles of federally protected waterways, they honor a decade of conservation efforts, exploring the deep connection between their community and the rivers while celebrating the protection that ensures these waters remain safeguarded for generations to come.
Night Two: March 7th 2026
Follow The Water (Winner, Kayaking Category, Not Shown At Premiere))
Directed By: Paul Friedman
Duration: 18 Minutes
This short documentary follows a crew that embarks on a source-to-sea kayaking adventure. The goal was to find the source of the drinking water for Portland, Maine, then follow the water on its journey to the ocean. Along the way, the paddlers encountered many amazing people and organizations.
Freeland: A Blackwater Story
Directed By: Justin Harris
Duration: 53 Minutes
This film dives into the history of the Blackwater River in the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia, and the kayaking community that grew around it. Blackwater Canyon contains world-class whitewater, with 17 miles of class IV-V+ rapids. This river is home to the birth of steep creeking and A Blackwater Story traces the early history of the sport told by those who were there to live it. The film also explores the topic of death in whitewater and impact social media has on the next generation.
The Shape Of Cedar
Directed By: Miles Gordon
Duration: 9 Minutes
A portrait exploring the enduring craft of wood canvas canoe building and the quiet philosophy it inspires. The Shape of Cedar is both a celebration of craftsmanship and and a guide to a more intentional way of moving through the world.
Headwaters
Directed By: Jessica Melnik, Impact Communications
Duration: 5 Minutes
Imagine standing at the headwaters of a river, where it begins its journey outward to join other waters and eventually reach a distant ocean. Just as a river branches and braids, our life stories also distinguish us and draw us together. Created to launch The Canadian Canoe Museum at its new home on the shore of the Otonabee River in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, the short film Headwaters invites visitors into a world where paddled watercraft are not merely artifacts but vessels of memory, identity and connection.
The Next Adventure
Directed By: Tyler J. Correll
Duration: 10 Minutes
A mom and her two kids set out on a 55-kilometer overnight canoe trip. Enjoy spectacular scenery while they discover strength in each other and the beauty in challenge. Set against stunning wilderness, this short film is a reminder that adventure isn’t about the destination—it’s about finding courage in the journey and inspiration for the next one.
Riverbound: The Storybook Has Just Begun
Directed By: Dylan Gerschwitz
Duration: 14 Minutes
Yak is a former pro guide and expert kayaker who became a paraplegic after a canyoning accident. Can packrafting give him the freedom to run rivers again? And how will he fare in the thundering Class III rapids of the Upper Buller Gorge? The film also asks whether packrafting can open the sport to an even more diverse range of people who want to run rivers.
Night Three: March 8th 2026
Kahuna: El Camino de Hielo (Winner, Environmental Category, Not Shown At Premiere)
Directed By: Thomas Jarrey & Robin Villard
Duration: 60 Minutes
Kahuna team members Baptistin and Robin set themselves a new scientific exploration challenge in Patagonia. Leaving in January 2024 for 40 days of total autonomy (both food and logistics), they covered more than 650 kilometers on water and ice. The expedition descended the Rio Baker and crossed Pacific fjords in packrafts, before crossing part of the Campo de Hielo Sur, from where they brought back samples and data for Chilean glaciologists. The film is a portrait of endurance and extreme resilience, and bears witness to the ongoing melting and pollution of these isolated glacial sanctuaries.
Gabon Uncharted
Directed By: David Arnaud
Duration: 45 Minutes
The SEND Collective is the closest thing to social media stardom the kayaking world has ever seen. The crew embarks on an unknown river deep in the jungles of Gabon. With no Wi-Fi and no turning back, they plunge into 10 days of raw whitewater, relentless jungle and uncomfortable honesty. Gabon Uncharted is a wild, unfiltered and occasionally damp exploration of what happens when online legends are dropped into offline chaos. Featuring the SEND team members: Adrian Mattern (GER), Dane Jackson (USA), Kalob Grady (CAN), Bren Orton (GBR).
Gauley Guide
Directed By: Logan Bockrath
Duration: 10 Minutes
The Upper Gauley River is legendary throughout the whitewater world and the words "I'm an Upper Gauley Guide" give you instant street cred. The path to becoming a Gauley guide is not quick or easy. It takes years of flips, swims, early mornings, late nights, swiftwater training and guide ejections to get to where smooth lines through class V rapids are the norm. Gauley Guide follows Michael Anderson as he works to become an Upper Gauley guide.
Weekend Bundle
The Film Festival Weekend Bundle option is the best way to experience the full weekend of films, with access to all three screening nights and built-in savings over individual tickets. It’s also a great opportunity to connect with the paddling community, share stories, and celebrate together!