2026 CKNS World Tour Paddle Film Festival Films announced!
1,000 Miles To Tuk
For over a decade, Niki Choo dreamed of a big canoe trip. When she finally meets the right partner, they take on a 1,000-mile journey from the Pacific to the Arctic testing their endurance, their bond and the limits of what’s possible.
Director: Whit Hassett
Winner of Best Canoeing Film 2026 Sponsored by Esquif
The Next Adventure
A mom and her two kids set out on a 55-kilometer overnight canoe trip. Enjoy spectacular scenery while they discover strength in each other and the beauty in challenge. Set against stunning wilderness, this short film is a reminder that adventure isn’t about the destination—it’s about finding courage in the journey and inspiration for the next one.
Nocturne
Shot entirely at night, Nocturne captures athlete Heidi Walsh and the quiet chaos and beauty of paddling under stars. Every ripple glows in the light emitted from the LED lights adorning Heidi’s equipment. It is a study in contrast, darkness and illumination, where every stroke becomes poetry in motion. Shot on the Ottawa River, Canada.
Director: Casey Bryant Jones
Gauley Guide
The Upper Gauley River is legendary throughout the whitewater world and the words “I’m an Upper Gauley Guide” give you instant street cred. The path to becoming a Gauley guide is not quick or easy. It takes years of flips, swims, early mornings, late nights, swiftwater training and guide ejections to get to where smooth lines through class V rapids are the norm. Gauley Guide follows Michael Anderson as he works to become an Upper Gauley guide.
Director: Logan Bockrath
Isle Haute
No trailer available.
Noah Booth, Northern Scavenger
Riverbound: The Storybook Had Just Begun
Yak is a former pro guide and expert kayaker who became a paraplegic after a canyoning accident. Can packrafting give him the freedom to run rivers again? And how will he fare in the thundering Class III rapids of the Upper Buller Gorge? The film also asks whether packrafting can open the sport to an even more diverse range of people who want to run rivers.
The 3100
The 3100 is a cinematic exploration of Idaho’s 3,100 miles of navigable whitewater, the most found anywhere in the Lower 48. This film showcases the state’s most rugged and revered whitewater river systems, while highlighting the power of experiencing wild places at any age. Through the voices of those who know these rivers best, this film reveals the transformative power of Idaho’s whitewater rivers.
Director: Mark Fisher
Producers: Andrea Rayburn, Andre Womack, Mark Fisher, Mike Banker
