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Paddles On The Water

“Dragon boating is almost the definition of a team sport; you cannot do it by yourself.”

Paddles On The Water immerses the audience in the world of women’s Dragon Boating. Through the stories of coaches and paddlers of Wasabi Paddling Club Women’s Program, a world-renowned team from the Pacific Northwest, the viewer experiences firsthand the power of 20 women paddling together in perfect unison. Paddlers share the life altering experience of finding their sport amidst a diverse and supportive community regardless of their age, background, or athletic ability. Through their stories we discover what a multi-generational team of female athletes can achieve and just how far they can go together. Paddles On The Water features exhilarating race footage from the 2018 and 2019 race season. We follow the team through training, to small local races, to Nationals, and all the way to World Championships in Szeged, Hungary. As paddles glide across rippling water, the collective ethos, the drive, and the interconnectedness of the women in the boat shines through.

  • Austyn Steelman
    Director
  • Austyn Steelman
    Producer
  • Austyn Steelman
    Editor
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Genres:
    Athletics, Team Sports, Paddling, Portland History
  • Completion Date:
    March 10, 2021
  • Production Budget:
    0 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    Canada, Hungary, United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Portland Film Festival
    Portland
    United States
    October 6, 2021
    World Premiere
    Audience Favorite Award
  • FlickFest
Director Biography - Austyn Steelman

Austyn Steelman is a documentary producer, director, and editor. Her fascination with people and their stories has inspired her to create two independent documentaries “Hip Hop Below Zero” and “Paddles On The Water”. Her production company Overgreenland Productions specializes in the creation of moving and cinematically stunning short documentaries for non-profit and educational institutions. When she isn’t making films Austyn can be found paddling on the Willamette River in her Outrigger Canoe or on a Dragon Boat.

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Director Statement

I discovered Dragon Boating in 2017, my first year as a Portland transplant. I went from never having heard of the sport to training for a world championship race in Szeged, Hungary in a matter of weeks. I was literally swept off my feet by this sport and with every stroke of my paddle I began to dream of creating a documentary to share this little-known sport with the world. Paddles On The Water captures the 2018 race season which culminated in the 11th Annual Club Crew World Championships in Szeged, Hungary. Throughout this journey we discover how the sport of Dragon Boating can elevate a group of women from a broad range of backgrounds, age, and athletic ability to achieve goals they may have never thought possible.