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.

The festival has now become known throughout North America and Internationally. Host sites, sponsors, and filmmakers all play an important role in helping to carry on Bill Mason’s legacy. Entries to the festival encompass an exciting range of locations, content, and styles. Both amateur and professional filmmakers are encouraged to submit their films from around the world.