Columbia Arts presents the 2025 Paddling Film Festival World Tour

Thursday, July 31 | Doors at 6:30 PM | Films at 6:30PM

Columbia Center for the Arts is thrilled to bring back the World Tour of the 20th annual Paddling Film Festival, celebrating the very best in paddling films from around the world and close to home. From stand-up paddleboarding to sea kayaking, whitewater adventures, canoeing, rafting, fishing, and more, the festival features a stunning lineup of short films showcasing every kind of on-the-water journey.

Join us on Thursday, July 31, for a one-night-only screening of the 2025 film selections, and help choose the People’s Choice Award!

Doors open at 6:00 PM, and the films begin at 6:30 PM. Last year’s event welcomed local filmmakers, paddlers, and adventure enthusiasts—be part of the celebration and experience the spirit of paddling with us!

FILM PROGRAM

Hitoláayca (Going Upriver)

Devin Reuben is training to be the first certified nimiipuu whitewater guide of his generation. The nimiipuu (Nez Perce) have a long history of river travel—in fact, they introduced the practice to settlers—but centuries of displacement and disconnection means Tribal members are now largely absent from their ancestral rivers. Devin says, “It's one big step for us; not just me, all of us. We're slowly bringing our culture back.”

Director: Anna Lueck 

Producer: Clark Shimeall

Runnable

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

Winner of Best SUP Film 2025

Sponsored by dryrobe

Ganga Girls

Naina Adhikari, an Indian professional kayaker aims to bring girls together and create an inclusive community in India's male-dominated kayaking scene. This empowering project supports girls, introducing them to kayaking and self-discovery. Witness their transformative journey as they paddle 70 kilometers in the Ganga River. Get ready to be inspired by their courage, camaraderie and determination.

Director: Pashant Bhatt, Jyoti Jangra Producer: Yukti Mital

Streamers, Steamers and Struggles

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

Winner of Best Fishing Film 2025 

Sponsored by The Safer Paddling Campaign

Between The Lines

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

Winner of Best Rafting Film 2025

Sponsored by AIRE

Canyon Chorus

Set against the backdrop of a raft trip in Desolation Canyon, Utah, Mikah Meyer, a traveler and LGBTQ+ advocate, reflects with three close friends and his mentor, Larry Edwards. As a child, Mikah believed he could never have a successful life and be publicly out and gay. When he moved to college and met Larry, his openly gay choir professor, a lifelong mentorship was born. As Larry enters what he calls the final chapter of his life, he reflects on the lifelong fight for openness and vulnerability within the queer community.

Director: Chris Cresci

Producer: Davis Love

Mikah Meyer in attendance

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

Winner of Best Whitewater Film 2025

¡Ay Chihuahua!

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

Winner of Best Adventure Travel Film 2025

Sponsored by Kokatat

Tibet: Mission Impossible

This adventurous and intense kayaking film by Olaf Obsommer features some of the world's top kayakers, including Nouria Newman, Adrian Mattern and the late Bren Orton. It follows an ambitious expedition on Tibet's Tsangpo River during the high-water monsoon, when the river becomes one of the world’s most dangerous. The film showcases powerful rapids, high altitudes, and the river’s relentless force, testing even the best. A tale of resilience and teamwork, Mission Impossible is a must-watch for fans of extreme sports and adventure.

Director & Producer: Olaf Obsommer