Experiencing Interruptions?

Wood On Water

A 40 day all girl wilderness canoe tripping adventure.

A traditional, slow, strenuous and all female adventure. Forty days spent canoe tripping in the Canadian wilderness with twelve young women, nine of whom are teenagers. There’s only one thing we know for sure, these girls won’t see each other at best. Think bug-bitten, cold and boob-deep in muskeg bog while carrying an incredibly heavy canoe on their heads. A counter-cultural summer spent exploring their physical surroundings and inner selves free from mainstream society’s expectations.

  • Hannah Maia
    Director
    My Big White Thighs & Me
  • Maxine Christopher
    Producer
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    45 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    November 3, 2020
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    Canada, United States
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director - Hannah Maia
Director Statement

Between adolescence and adulthood is an uncomfortable middle ground where we can be found grappling with who we are and what’s important to us. But do we ever know exactly who we are? Perhaps life is one long continuous tussle as we try to hold tight, or let go, of some facet of our identity. Removing ourselves from our fast paced, digital dependent lives and embracing the wilderness for a whole summer offers a chance to explore our physical surroundings and our inner selves free from mainstream society’s expectations. Between the grit, sweat, tears and determination we can be vulnerable and that’s when we really grow as people. It can be a moment in our short existence where we can reclaim what we want and what we need.

Pandemic induced stress has left audiences looking for ‘feel good’ stories and 'Wood On Water' is one of them. A story of what it is to be a woman in the wilderness told with warmth, whimsy and humour.