An Annual Tradition for River Lovers
Every year during Earth Month, MountainTrue brings the world’s best paddling films to Asheville. This isn’t just a film screening—it’s a gathering of our region’s river-loving community. We come together to witness epic adventures, explore stunning wild places through the lens of world-class filmmakers, and find renewed inspiration to protect the waterways that define our home in the Blue Ridge. Watch the official trailer here.
Join us for the 2026 World Tour
Experience a night of community and clean water inspiration. This year’s tour features a curated selection of films that will leave you fired up to get outside and take action for our rivers.
- When: Thursday, April 23, 2026
- Where: The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave, Asheville, NC
- Time: Doors open at 6 PM | Films start at 7 PM
- Tickets: $15 Advance | $20 Door | $5 Kids under 12
Win Gear and Support Clean Water
Our annual raffle is a highlight of the tour, offering you the chance to win high-end gear from our partners while supporting MountainTrue’s work. This year, we’re raffling off a brand new Moken kayak and paddle from our friends at feelfree kayaks.
- Raffle Tickets: 1 for $5 or 5 for $20.
- How to Enter: Purchase tickets online through April 22nd or in person at the event. The winner will be drawn during intermission!
Arrive Early for the Full Experience
The Paddling Film Festival is a social event. We recommend arriving when doors open at 6 PM to grab a great seat and enjoy food from the Grey Eagle Taqueria.
- Seating: General admission. If you require subtitles, please arrive early for front-row seating.
- Community: Meet MountainTrue staff and fellow paddlers to learn about our latest efforts to protect local rivers and streams.
Impact Beyond the Screen
Proceeds from every ticket and raffle entry go directly toward MountainTrue’s mission. From our Water Quality Lab to our river restoration projects, your support helps ensure our mountain waters remain clean, cold, and accessible for everyone.
Thank You to Our 2026 Sponsors
This event is made possible by the generous support of local businesses who share our love for the outdoors.
About the Films
Nocturne (5:25): Shot entirely at night, Nocturne captures athlete Heidi Walsh and the quiet chaos and beauty of paddling under stars. Every ripple glows in the light emitted from the LED lights adorning Heidi’s equipment. It is a study in contrast, darkness and illumination, where every stroke becomes poetry in motion. Shot on the Ottawa River, Canada.
Follow the Water (17:42): This short documentary follows a crew that embarks on a source-to-sea kayaking adventure. The goal was to find the source of the drinking water for Portland, Maine, then follow the water on its journey to the ocean. Along the way, the paddlers encountered many amazing people and organizations.
Riverbound (13:37): Yak is a former pro guide and expert kayaker who became a paraplegic after a canyoning accident. Can packrafting give him the freedom to run rivers again? And how will he fare in the thundering Class III rapids of the Upper Buller Gorge? The film also asks whether packrafting can open the sport to an even more diverse range of people who want to run rivers.
Gauley Guide (Adventure Gorge) (9:11): The Upper Gauley River is legendary throughout the whitewater world and the words “I’m an Upper Gauley Guide” give you instant street cred. The path to becoming a Gauley guide is not quick or easy. It takes years of flips, swims, early mornings, late nights, swiftwater training and guide ejections to get to where smooth lines through class V rapids are the norm. Gauley Guide follows Michael Anderson as he works to become an Upper Gauley guide.
First half run-time: 45 min 15 sec.
Intermission (15 minutes: French Broad Riverkeeper/Paddle Trail brief presentation and raffle prize drawing)
Gabon uncharted (44:25): The SEND Collective is the closest thing to social media stardom the kayaking world has ever seen. The crew embarks on an unknown river deep in the jungles of Gabon. With no Wi-Fi and no turning back, they plunge into 10 days of raw whitewater, relentless jungle and uncomfortable honesty. Gabon Uncharted is a wild, unfiltered and occasionally damp exploration of what happens when online legends are dropped into offline chaos. Featuring the SEND team members: Adrian Mattern (GER), Dane Jackson (USA), Kalob Grady (CAN), Bren Orton (GBR).
