ShAFF 2021: Water Films 2

PLEASE NOTE: The screening at 19:15 on Sat 10 Jul is an outdoor screening taking place at The Peace Gardens.

24 Leeches 10 minutes

24 Leeches is a camping story told by my son Josiah when he was 8 years old. The film takes place during a 10-day canoeing and camping trip to the Slate Islands of Ontario, Canada on Lake Superior. It was scripted from campfire conversations that we shared during this and other trips. In August 2019 I lost my sweet boy to a fungal brain infection contracted during treatment for leukemia. He was 10 years old. This project has now become a memorial to my best friend and adventure buddy, a very special kid that is missed dearly. I ache to know what he would have become.

Lean Against The Wind 12 minutes

Conquering a 45-mile stretch of stacked waves, crashing currents, and blistering winds—13 times with just a paddle in hand—is just one way Lauren Spalding is considered a champion. Add Olympian and working parent to the list, and it’s safe to say she’s not only embodying her father’s push-the-limits fervor but is cementing her own unparalleled legacy in the history books, one wave at a time.

Sadat Kawawa: Born on the banks of the Nile 17 minutes

From a young age, Sadat Kawawa was told that water was dangerous. Raised on the banks of the While Nile in Uganda, he was taught to respect the river - it was to be revered rather than enjoyed. But despite this, Sadat was always drawn towards the thundering water - it was awe-inspiring to him. He was a quiet child, but a strong-willed one. Never one to be told what to do, he ignored his father’s warnings and instead Sadat taught himself how to swim and, when he saw kayakers practising on the river, he promised himself that he would one day learn the sport. Tenacious and passionate, Sadat would carry tourist’s kayaks down to the water in return for a lesson and as he continued to practise he caught the eye of the Ugandan kayaking team coach. But while he excelled at home, Sadat was unable to afford multiple trips abroad to compete on the international scene. So, when Unleashed - one of the most extreme kayaking competitions in the world - was held in Uganda for the first time, Sadat knew it was his moment. Along with some of the world’s best kayakers - many of whom were his heroes - Sadat was about to compete on some of the most difficult and dangerous white water in the world. And while Sadat’s community might not have understood his decision to race, they supported him nonetheless. So with his friends and family watching from the sidelines, we captured this pivotal race to show the culmination of years of perseverance and practise. Would Sadat crash out, or would he hold his own, and prove to everyone watching that he had what it took to make it as a global kayaking star?

Water Flows Together 11 minutes

For time immemorial, the Diné (Navajo) have considered the San Juan River sacred. Centuries-old stories and teachings connect the people with the river as it continues to serve as a physical and spiritual resource for the peoples who rely on it. Yet at the same time, economic and social barriers have kept the number of Native people recreating on the San Juan to a minimum, and trends of globalization and urbanization continue to widen the gap between many Navajo and the natural world. Water Flows Together is told from Colleen’s perspective and explores the ways in which her upbringing and her native identity have shaped the way she interacts with the world. The film is a meditation on the challenges Colleen and her community have faced, the unique relationship she has with the San Juan River, and the unique opportunities her role as a river guide affords as she seeks to create positive change.

Body Of Water 41 minutes

Over the past year, people all across the globe have been swept up in an exciting activity - wild swimming. From rivers to lakes to seas, swimming outside of the confines of a pool has seen a huge rise in popularity as many take the plunge. The documentary, Body Of Water, spends a winter following wild swimmer Gilly McArthur on her mental and physical journey to seek out remote, icy waters. From the windswept mountain tarns of her home in the Lake District to frozen lochs in the Scottish Highlands, one thing is clear, the search for ice is not as easy as it used to be. Co-directed by Scott M Salt and Benjamin Paul of Sequence 13 Films, and with an original score by Oli Kilpatrick, Body Of Water was shot over the winter period in early 2020, before the outbreak of Covid-19. The production team worked in close collaboration with Gilly and her friends in the wild swimming community, a community that is growing exponentially. Having already been on an upward trend, with limited options due to lockdown restrictions around 7.5 million people in the UK have swum in an outdoor location this year. Body Of Water, like the pastime it features, is an escape from the fetters of the pandemic. Diving straight into the heart and mindset of the cold water swimmer, this film provides a window into a world that many can't comprehend, illustrating why this niche activity is so compelling and full of joy for those who are bold enough to try it. Taking the audience on an immersive and deeply meditative journey, Body Of Water shows us how regular interaction with our natural surroundings can help quieten the mind and bring happiness in an ever changing and frantic world. One key theme of the film is that wild swimming in winter, even in water so cold that it is frozen, is not a superhuman feat. It does not require Olympic levels of fitness but is truly for everyone, provided that a few basic safety rules are adhered to. As wild swimming continues to expand its popularity, Body Of Water is in the vanguard, inspiring the audience to push a little harder and maybe, just maybe, to find joy in something that they used to think was totally impossible. As Gilly says, “swimming in winter teaches you who you really are”.