ARTS COUNCIL OF BIG SKY
The Arts Council of Big Sky is bringing the 19th annual Paddling Film Festival to The Waypoint in Big Sky on Tuesday, June 11, for a 7 p.m. screening.
The Paddling Film Festival is an international adventure film tour presenting the world’s best paddling films of the year – whitewater, sea kayaking, canoeing, SUP, action and lifestyle – in more than 120 cities and towns across Canada, the U.S. and around the world.
With 29 inspiring paddling films shortlisted for the World Tour, including the 11 festival category winners, audiences will see hairy whitewater action, sea kayakers exploring remote coastlines, northern river canoe expeditions, international river travel films, motivating environmental documentaries and grueling kayak fishing battles. Attracting paddlers and outdoor enthusiasts, audiences can expect a fun, social and entertaining event inspired by compelling films including:
Stakeout (Behind The Scenes) — After a chilly day on the water, Ben Marr ponders the spirit of Stakeout, a grassroots whitewater gathering that has stood the test of time and keeps drawing him back, year after year.
Whatever Floats Your Goat — Nico lives in her Sprinter van with two goats, three chickens and a dog. Spend a day with Nico goat-packing a raft up to a high mountain lake in this quirky short film. Take a dive into her lifestyle, the goats’ personalities, and Nico’s deeper mission to use her unique lifestyle for sustainability education.
Life Downstream: The Story Of The Wabigoon River — At first glance, the Wabigoon River appears to be a playground for whitewater kayakers. But hidden beneath the surface lies a story of one of the worst cases of mercury contamination in Canadian history and its impact on the people of Grassy Narrows First Nation. It is said that throwing one stone into a river can change the course of that river forever. Dumping 10 tons of mercury into a river not only changes the nature of the river, but also all life downstream.
A Canoe Perspective — Jamie Barnes travels to Scotland with Canadian long-distance paddler Martin Trahan to paddle a small but formidable circuit in the Northern Highlands. However, a series of tribulations make their expedition even more challenging. This film documents their journey while exploring why canoeing is more than just a form of recreation; it is also a way of finding purpose, identity and perspective in an ever-changing world.
Canada Vertical — Follow along on an eight-month ski, canoe and bike expedition covering an area equivalent to 19 percent of the Earth’s circumference. The journey travels from Ellesmere Island in Nunavut to Point Pelee in Ontario, and is one of the longest wilderness expeditions in Canadian history. Challenged by
polar bears, freezing temperatures, injuries, equipment failure, windstorms, food shortages, 2,000km of mostly upstream paddling, and numerous reroutings, the AKOR expedition is a testament to resilience and creativity in the face of challenge.
The Coppermine River — This film features epic adventure and the allure of northern rivers. Join a group of new and experienced paddlers during a daring trip down the Coppermine River in 2023.
Rio Pusuno: Meet The Community — Ecuador is well-known amongst whitewater kayakers as a paradise. Generations of Ecuadorians like Diego Robles have found their life’s passion in paddling and guiding the rivers in their backyard. But a few months after Robles found his favorite river, he found excavators in the river building a dam and diversion that would dry up the Rio Pusuno. He had no idea how bad the situation was until he met the local community.
Tickets are $15 and can be purchased in advance at bigskyarts.org.
