Paddle Canada’s Waterwalker Film Festival is a tribute to the late Bill Mason, a great conservationist, canoeist, and filmmaker who cared passionately about his work and the wilderness. He wanted to share its beauty and promote its protection. As he once said, "Film is for me a means of expressing my feelings about the things I enjoy, things I am concerned about, mostly the natural world".
The Waterwalker Film Festival came together following Mason's death to help continue his vision. We hope, through this festival, to raise public awareness and support for wilderness conservation by celebrating films from around the world on canoeing, kayaking, safety, conservation, and protection of our waterways.
Our mission is to provide an accessible and affordable film festival that paddle lovers across North America can offer to their local communities. Our host fees are very low and with proceeds supporting our Bill Mason Memorial Scholarship fund.
Waterwalker has never offered cash prizes. However, we do provide awards in the following categories:
- Canadian Location
- Raft
- River Kayak
- Documentary
- Adventure
- Inspirational
- Canoe
- Education
- Shorts
- Environmental
- Sea Kayak
- SUP
- Amateur