The Global Paddling Community

The 9th annual Reel Paddling Film Festival premiered this month in Toronto at the Royal Cinema. The Complete Paddler hosted the largest premiere audience in festival history raising a whopping $1,500 for the charity, Project Canoe. Rapid Media founder Scott MacGregor emceed the red canvas carpet event screening this year's award-winning and shortlisted films.

This year's winners are:

1. Creek Boater -WHITEWATER PADDLING Kim Becker day dreams about her favorite thing: kayaking.
 Director: Kelsey Thompson; Producer: Lee Visual

2. Have Kids, Will Paddle -CANOEING Dan, his wife Alice Young Clark, with their kids Koby, age five, and three-year-old Ava Fei, leave real life behind for a 100-day northern adventure. Director and Producer: Dan Clark

3. Kayak Free Kayaking -SHORT Trip Deacon attempts to kayak down Lombard Street in San Francisco...without a kayak. Director: John Dabrowski | Producer: Mark Odlum and John Dabrowski

4. iAfrica -STANDUP PADDLING An adventure to southern Africa pushes the limits of whitewater SUP.
 Director and Producer: Corran Addison

5. Stand -ENVIRONMENTAL STAND takes viewers to the core of the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline issue while unfurling the soul of B.C.'s west coast, one paddle stroke at a time. Director and Producer: Anthony Bonello and Nicolas Teichrob

6. Paddle to the Ocean -SEA KAYAKING Zac Crouse tours his album by kayak from Ottawa to Halifax while examining the stigma associated with mental illness and benefits of physical activity and music. Director: Kelsey Thompson; Producer: Zac Crouse

7. The Old Man and the Sea: The Expedition -ADVENTURE TRAVEL Inspired by Hemingway's
 novel, The Old Man and the Sea, Martin Falkind persuades his friends to join him on a marlin kayak fishing trip in the Pacific Ocean. Director: Björn Tjärnberg; Producer: Maria Alander

8. Why We Fish -KAYAK FISHING Renowned big game kayak angler and host of The Kayak Fishing Show, Jim Sammons, explains what drives him to travel the world in search of the next big bite. Director: Kelsey Thompson; Producer: Ken Whiting

9. Everyday Push -DOCUMENTARY Mike Conneen's journey through addiction and life in a wheelchair, as well as his love and passion for kayak fishing.
 Director: Rob DeVore | Producer: Rob DeVore and Mike Conneen

10. Handling Emergency Situations -INSTRUCTIONAL PADDLING A dramatic series of true-life emergency scenarios led by top
 sea kayaker Gordon Brown and the rescue professionals of the U.K. coastguard and lifeboat services. Director and Producer: Simon Willis

The RPFF World Tour is an international film tour screening in 110 cities. To bring the World Tour to your paddling town, shop, club, theatre or event, visit reelpaddlingfilmfestival.com.

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