The 20th annual Paddling Film Festival World Tour kicked off in Mississauga, Ontario, on Thursday, February 20, 2025. Showcasing the world’s best paddling films—including this year’s 10 award winners—the festival celebrates adventure storytelling on the water.
Hosted by The Complete Paddler at its new Dundas Street storefront, the premiere event drew sold-out crowds for three consecutive nights. Attendees were the first to experience the year’s top paddling films on the big screen. Proceeds from these three screenings support Project Canoe, a nonprofit that provides at-risk youth with educational and therapeutic outdoor experiences, primarily through summer wilderness canoe trips.
Want to see the world’s best paddling films on the big screen? Find a World Tour screening near you here.
Read on to discover the award winners in 10 categories and this year’s shortlisted films.
2025 Paddling Film Festival Winners
Best Sea Kayaking Film
WILD SEA
Category sponsor: BoréalDesign
Wild Sea is a captivating short documentary that delves into the life of Jeff Allen, a trailblazing figure in the world of sea kayaking. The film traces Jeff’s journey from his formative years to his role as one of the foremost sea kayak guides and coaches of our time. The film illuminates the transformative power of the sea as Jeff finds purpose and healing through his connection with the ocean. In particular, his 2004 Japan circumnavigation serves as a poignant testament to the healing power of nature.
Director & Producer: Tom Vetterl
Best Adventure Travel Film
¡AY CHIHUAHUA!
Category sponsor: Kokatat
Expedition kayakers take on the mile-deep Barranca Candameña in the Wild West of Chihuahua, Mexico. At the put-in, with heavy rain filling the river, the team weighs the danger of flash floods and the specter of narcos against their goal to be the first to descend one of the most spectacular canyons on earth by kayak.
Director: Benjamin David Stookesberry
Best SUP Film
RUNNABLE
Category sponsor: Dryrobe
Join Cameron Hopkin and Sam Garthwaite as they navigate the thrilling world of whitewater paddleboarding, sharing their personal stories, triumphs and dreams for the future of this adrenaline-fueled sport. Witness the beauty of nature and the power of human determination in this inspiring documentary that will leave you craving adventure and pushing your own boundaries. Get ready to dive into the heart-pounding action and heartfelt reflections of Runnable.
Director & Producer: Jake Garthwaite
Best Rafting Film
BETWEEN THE LINES
Category sponsor: AIRE
This film is a moving reflection on what it means to be connected to the water, fish, and one’s truest expression of self. The river is a thread woven in and out of Alex Obregon’s life since he was three weeks old. While working as a raft guide in southern Chile, Alex found his love of fly fishing by way of whitewater, and simultaneously deepened his appreciation and understanding of all the spaces and species a river holds.
Director & Producer: Liz McGregor
Best Documentary Film
CAPSIZED
Category sponsor: Canadian Canoe Museum
Some dream of summiting the highest peaks, visiting a remote island or being the fastest to navigate a route. But not Emily. She dreams of esoteric adventure and of dragging a canoe across a bog. Enlisting her friend, the pair set off to navigate the Isle of Lewis’ intricate system of lochs. But finding the right kit can be a challenge for Emily. When outdoor shops only stock technical clothing up to a size 16, how is adventure possible for the 45 percent of women in the United Kingdom who wear larger sizes?
Director: Roxanna Barry | Producer: Harriet Sykes
Best Canoeing Film
THE SURVIVAL OF THE WOOD CANOE
Category sponsor: Esquif
People around the world have traveled in canoes they have proudly made themselves since time began. The Survival of the Wood Canoe chronicles the adventures of one couple who, over 50 years, built a business based on teaching the art of canoe-building. Ted Moores and his partner, Joan Barrett, are trailblazers in the growing sphere of DIY craftspeople, helping people realize their dreams of building truly beautiful and functional boats.
Director & Producer: Joan Barrett
Best Environmental Paddling Film
A GUIDE TO FIGHTING FOR WILD RIVERS
Category sponsor: Kokopelli
In 2012, OARS joined forces with American Rivers and Friends of the Yampa to host an annual Yampa River Awareness Project river trip. Join a transformative rafting journey along the free-flowing Yampa River and see what could be lost if the river is threatened by a major dam, diversion or dewatering project. A Guide to Fighting for Wild Rivers illustrates how immersing people in a river’s beauty and sharing its ecological significance fosters deep, personal connections that inspire long-term conservation.
Director: Logan Bockrath | Producer: OARS
Best Kayak Fishing Film
STREAMERS, STEAMERS AND STRUGGLES ON THE KRKA
Category sponsor: The Safer Paddling Campaign
Four kayakers (ab)use rafting as a means to catch fish on Slovenia’s chalk stream called Krka. Casting flies amongst castles and cattails, this became the arena for a gruelling competition that applied pressure of all kinds.
Director: Rožle Bregar | Producer: Leewa Collective
Best Whitewater Film
ICE WATERFALLS
For years, professional kayaker Aniol Serrasolses has dreamed of running the rivers and waterfalls formed by melting ice caps and gigantic glaciers. Accompanied by a team of expert kayakers and Arctic guides, he ventures into one of the most remote and rugged regions of the planet: Svalbard. Amidst the Arctic’s otherworldly landscapes, reality is about to surpass his wildest dreams.
Director: David Arnaud
Best Short Film
MOTHER RIVER
Category sponsor: Madawaska Kanu Centre
A look into Devin Brown’s life as she attempts to be the first Black female on record to kayak the entire Mississippi River, from source to sea.
Director: Jeremiah Schuster
2025 Paddling Film Festival Shortlist
Find out which films are touring in this year’s Paddling Film Festival below.
- A Guide To Fighting For Wild Rivers
- ¡Ay Chihuahua!
- Between the Lines
- Beyond The Edge
- Canyon Chorus
- Capsized
- Cinque Terre – Five Lands
- Ganga Girls
- hitoláayca (Going Upriver)
- Ice Waterfalls
- Makapo
- Mississippi Speed Record: An Epic Adventure
- Mother River
- River Cowboys: Keepin’ it Wild
- Runnable
- SBONELO
- Streamers, Steamers and Struggles on the Krka
- The Crossing: Through Blue
- The Great Divide
- The Last of the Last
- The Smoke That Thunders
- The Survival Of The Wood Canoe
- The Wintering Grounds (Special Jury Mention)
- Tibet: Mission Impossible
- Van by a River – The Abby Holcombe Story
- Wild Sea
Want to join in the fun and get the big screen experience? Find a World Tour event near you.
Prefer to watch these award-winning films from the comfort of your home? Stream all shortlisted films and more via Paddling Magazine TV, the premier streaming platform for paddling enthusiasts.
Thank you to our 2025 Paddling Film Festival World Tour partners who contribute to the energy and sustainability of the Paddling Film Festival. Without their support the World Tour would not be possible.
