Native Lens: Paddle Tribal Waters

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When the largest dam removal project in history begins, a group of indigenous youth learn to whitewater kayak in hopes of becoming the first people to paddle the restored river from source to sea. With jaw-dropping aerial cinematography and moving storytelling, Paddle Tribal Waters is a fully immersive experience, showcasing the unbreakable bond between people and their ancestral lands. The film gives viewers a bird’s eye view as an unforgettable group of young people training for the adventure of a lifetime.
Director Statement
Paul Robert Wolf Wilson (Director & Producer):
Decades of demonstrated rapport tie my personal and professional life to the communities represented in the film. It is important to me to ensure that the subjects and their communities have a leading hand in the development and production of this film. We will set up practices around visual sovereignty. In addition, we will return or establish the tools for storytelling into the hands of the community themselves. Through collaboration with some of the characters in the film, the goal is to embed a strong sense of authority over their image and narrative, within the scope of this film and media at large. I have spent the early stages of my professional career working to tell the stories of the multiple indigenous communities along the Klamath River. I am balanced in my visual storytelling amidst conflicts that span tribe, community, agency, and stakeholder. I continue to center protocols from the cultural teachings imparted to me from family and community. My intimate involvement in the development and fundraising for the Paddle Tribal Waters program, which the film will focus on, demonstrates my commitment to the community and students. Through this sustained commitment to the students outside of the scope of the creative process, a more genuine position is afforded to the filmmakers in the telling of this story.
Biographies:
Paul Wolf Wilson - Director, Producer, Key Cast
Based in his ancestral homelands of Southern Oregon and Northern California. His works focus on the connections between peoples, the lands and waters they steward, and the cultures thattie them together. A Leader in Environment, Access, and Diversity (LEAD) Ambassador for Northwest River Supplies (NRS), Paul works to provide opportunities for indigenous youth to strengthen and grow relationships with their rivers through white-water recreation. As an alumnus of Ríos to Rivers, he co-founded the Maqlaqs Paddle with his sister, Ashia, to help bring access to paddling to their tribal community. Paul has also actively worked to change policy around dams and endangered rivers worldwide, attending and speaking at UNFCCC COP events and serving as an advisory member for Water Climate Trust. Paul also serves on
the board of directors of Rogue Food Unites, an organization that addresses food insecurities of communities across Southern Oregon.
Rush Sturges - Director, Producer, Editor
Raised on the banks of California’s Salmon River, Rush started splashing around in kayaks before he could walk. By the age of 12, he had devoted himself to learning his way around rivers and cameras. Rush is widely considered one of the world’s best kayakers, as well as a prominent action sports filmmaker. To date, he has created nine award winning whitewater kayaking films, including his latest feature documentary "The River Runner" which won “Best Mountain Film” at Banff in 2021 and is now available on Netflix. Rush studied film at The Art Institute of Vancouver, B.C., and has honed his filmmaking skills on location in some of the planet’s wildest places. In 2009, Rush founded River Roots, a media production house based in his adopted hometown of White Salmon, WA.
Weston Boyles - Producer
For the last 12 years, Weston has been working in South and North America on a variety of environmental protection projects for Tompkins Conservation and Ríos to Rivers. Weston founded Ríos to Rivers in 2012 and in 2015 he co-directed Doug and Kris Tompkins’ Route of Parks Project in Chile. To date, the Ríos to Rivers exchanges have connected students from 20 endangered river basins in seven countries. The exchanges have included students and community leaders from 21 indigenous nations. Weston strongly believes that listening to local community leaders and providing them opportunities to take the lead is critical for environmental campaigns to have long-lasting impacts.
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[@heatherrowe7280]

Amazing! Wishing all the youth safe travels!

[@Matthew-zw9su]

This is so awesome!!! Hooray😊

[@garlandstyle5797]

Frigging Fantastic! 👍

[@hbuels7125]

Im with this guy. Ill go paddle with him any time. Might need a better kayak though.