2007 WATERWALKER WINNERS

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Paddle Canada would like to congratulate the winners of the 2007 WATERWALKER Festival and thank the filmmakers who submitted films for this year. The following winners have been selected for the 2007 WATERWALKER National Film Tour in cities throughout Canada, the United States and Internationally.


ACTION WINNER

THIS IS THE SEA 3

PRODUCER: Cackle TV

YEAR RELEASED: 2007

Running Time: 120 minutes
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Just released, this is the third in a series of award winning adventure sea kayaking films by renowned explorer and documentary maker, Justine Curgenven. It includes over two hours of sea kayaking expeditions, action and wildlife from Antarctica, the Faroe Islands, New Zealand, Wales and Scotland.

Antarctica: 40 minutes
Scottish Tidal Races: 15 minutes
Paul Caffyn: 15 minutes
Cheri Perry & Frey Hoffmeister: 15 minutes
The Faroe Islands: 25 minutes


ACTION HONOURABLE MENTION

Dakib

PRODUCER: Joel Decker/Cliff Langley

YEAR RELEASED: 2005

Running Time: 20 minutes
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Dakib is a film about kayaking the steep, cold rivers of the Lake Superior Region. The film puts a central focus on the fun aspect of the Minnesota paddling season and the tight group of paddlers enjoying their adventures.


ACTION HONOURABLE MENTION

NOMADS

PRODUCER: Polly Green

YEAR RELEASED: 2006

Running Time: 21 minutes
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Share in the travels of three female whitewater kayakers as they attempt the Zambezi and White Nile Rivers of Africa. They are connected by their love of the river and compassion for others. The river has empowered these women to make a difference by helping to eradicate the deadly disease Malaria.


aDVENTURE WINNER

sweetwater to saltwater: An expedition to the arctic by canoe

PRODUCER: Karl Mattson

YEAR RELEASED: 2006

Running Time: 39 minutes 56 seconds
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In the summer of 2005, two northeastern British Columbia residents, Karl and Inge-Jean Mattson and their dog Pike embarked on an expedition that would follow the run-off from their backyard to the Arctic. Entirely self-propelled from the moment they left their door step, their journey takes them over 3,700 km of creeks, rivers, lakes and oceans to their final destination, Tuktoyaktuk.


aDVENTURE HONOURABLE MENTION

QUEEN CHARLOTTE ISLANDS: The outer edge

PRODUCER: Ken Malenstyn

YEAR RELEASED: 2006

Running Time: 46 minutes
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Three adventurers face gale force winds, cabin fever and ancestral ghosts as they attempt to circumnavigate Haida Gwaii's Graham Island by sea kayak.


ENVIRONMENT WINNER

the spirit of grey owl

PRODUCER: Pat Edwards/Kevin Reeves

YEAR RELEASED: 2001

Running Time: 52 minutes
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Archie Belaney leaves England at age 17 and comes to Canada. He convinces the world that he is half Native American and assumes the name “Grey Owl”. In the 1930s Belaney, as Grey Owl, speaks to international crowds about preservation and the environment. He becomes a celebrity through his books and speeches culminating in a command performance at Buckingham Palace. The afternoon of his death the North Bay Nugget reveals his true identity as an Englishman from Hastings and the international press goes wild.


ENVIRONMENT hONOURABLE MENTION

GRAND RIVER: LABRADOR'S TREASURE, NEWFOUNDLAND'S SECRET

PRODUCER: Brenda Beck

YEAR RELEASED: 2006

Running Time: 18 minutes
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This film follows a group of paddling adventurers on their trip down the Grand River in Newfoundland (known outside Labrador as the Churchill River). The paddlers share their love of the river and their concerns over the serious degradation of this marvelous resource that would stem from current plans to dam it. The song, A Land Called Labrador, is by beloved local performer Harry Martin.


MUSIC WINNER

RIVIERE DUMOINE: A PADDLERS' JOURNEY

PRODUCER: Tony Buell

YEAR RELEASED: 2007

Running Time: 86 minutes 40 seconds
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This feature length film is a true-to-life journey down the Dumoine River in Quebec. Six paddlers make the trip, which has enchanted so many. An immeasurable amount of talent contributed to the twenty-two-piece soundtrack, most of which is original compositions. The director's vision merging with the talented cinematography of young Jeremy Kelly leaves us with a lasting and timeless work.

MUSIC HONOURABLE MENTION

OLD VOYAGEUR CHANNEL: FRENCH RIVER

PRODUCER: David Bain

YEAR RELEASED: 2006

Running Time: 6 minutes 30 seconds
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Join two modern day voyageurs as they take a trip through the French River's Old Voyageur Channel in August 2006. The stunning scenery of the channel is complimented by two original guitar compositions , Georgian Bay Suite and Drifting.


MUSIC WINNER

RIVIERE DUMOINE: A PADDLERS' JOURNEY

PRODUCER: Tony Buell

YEAR RELEASED: 2007

Running Time: 86 minutes 40 seconds
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This feature length film is a true-to-life journey down the Dumoine River in Quebec. Six paddlers make the trip, which has enchanted so many. An immeasurable amount of talent contributed to the twenty-two-piece soundtrack, most of which is original compositions. The director's vision merging with the talented cinematography of young Jeremy Kelly leaves us with a lasting and timeless work.

sAFETY WINNER

RECREATIONAL KAYAKING: THE ESSENTIAL SKILLS AND SAFETY

PRODUCER: Ken Whiting

YEAR RELEASED: 2007

Running Time: 60 minutes
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Recreational Kayaking provides new and developing paddlers with the skills and knowledge necessary to comfortably and safely enjoy kayaking. whether your interest in kayaking stems from the desire to get outside and spend time with your friends and family or to explore the endless waterways that surround you. This film is a must-have for every kayaker.


TRIPPING WINNER

the SUMMER OF '99

PRODUCER: Steve Moss

YEAR RELEASED: 2007

Running Time: 35 minutes
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A ten-year-old boy, while canoeing with his family on the Lady Evelyn River in Temagami, meets two fishermen who divulge their secrets of fishing for speckled trout and their favourite fishing spot. The boy dreams of coming back the next summer and he and his younger brother and parents come back for a 16-day trip down the Lady Evelyn River with lots of ensuing adventures.


AMATEUR WINNER

the nahanni river: A northern experience

PRODUCER: Joe Pavelka, Jennifer Givens, Aaron Feltham

YEAR RELEASED: 2006

Running Time: 19 minutes
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The film is the story of 10 Mount Royal ecotourism and outdoor leadership students, two instructors, six canoes, a twin otter and the Nahanni River. The film follows them on their expedition on the Nahanni and documents their feelings, the wildlife and the amazing sites and scenery along the way. The film features music by Bruce Cockburn and Joe Pavelka.


hONOURABLE MENTION

up a creek

PRODUCER: Jefferson Beck

YEAR RELEASED: 2006

Running Time: 12 minutes 48 Seconds
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Filmed in Vermont and New Hampshire, this film follows self-taught canoe polist Bill Cummings as he shares his new favourite aesthetic for moving along a river.


HONOURABLE MENTION

the URBAN CANOEIST

PRODUCER: Charlie Spencer

YEAR RELEASED: 1990

Running Time: 28 minutes 30 seconds
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The Urban Canoeist draws attention to the ecological importance of urban waterways and the origin and impact of storm water run-off. It also demonstrates the versatility of the canoe and the art of solo canoeing. The film has an original music score.


HONOURABLE MENTION

COAL RIVER ADVENTURE

PRODUCER: Small Video Productions

YEAR RELEASED: 2005

Running Time: 30 minutes
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Coal River Adventure is a whitewater rafting trip for Youth at Risk on the Coal River in the Yukon. RCMP, youth leaders and rafting guides lead the trip and give young people the opportunity to experience an adventure on the Coal River as well as enjoy the wilderness and learn outdoor skills.