Short Documentary - COMING IN 2027
THE NEXT GATE
The Next Gate is a short paddlesports documentary produced in Calgary, Alberta, by award-winning filmmakers Venture Media House. Bringing the technical precision of Olympic kayak slalom to stand-up paddleboarding (SUP), a local paddling community sparks Canada’s whitewater SUP slalom movement. What began as a grassroots Calgary river experiment quickly evolves into a proven blueprint and training ground for the next generation of whitewater paddlers.
More than a reflection on where Whitewater SUP Slalom began, The Next Gate is a catalyst for where it goes next. Our mission is to capture a community in motion and deliver an inspiring blueprint for grassroots growth, challenging the next generation of paddlers, coaches, and builders to step up and navigate the next gate.
Our Mission
Synopsis
To turn curiosity into a movement, a collective of ordinary paddlers set out to adapt the precision, upstream gates, and high-stakes rules of Olympic kayak slalom to stand-up paddleboards. What started as a wild experiment among a few locals has surged into one of Canada's most exciting new river sports: Whitewater SUP Slalom.
The Next Gate is a short documentary that explores the origins, culture, and future of this emerging community. The story begins when local paddler Adlai Majer returns home inspired by the 2015 Payette River games, bringing a bold vision to a river with no established pathway, no coaching network, and no blueprint. Rather than focusing on a single hero, the film reveals how a thriving ecosystem was built through a mosaic of individual contributions, highlighted through intimate interviews and observational moments captured during high-stakes race weekends.
Moving beyond a conventional action-sports recap, The Next Gate captures a community in full flow, proving that lasting movements are built not by top-down institutions, but by everyday individuals who choose to contribute in their own unique way. As the founding generation reflects on their journey, the story shifts downstream toward the future, leaving audiences with an inspiring blueprint for grassroots community-building and challenging the next generation to ask: who will navigate the next gate?
“To play even a small part in showing the world how generous and vibrant the paddling community truly is would be the most fulfilling milestone of my filmmaking career.”
Director Rylan McCarthy discovered his love for the paddling world at a young age. Growing up on the water introduced him to one of the most welcoming, grounded communities he has ever experienced. For Rylan, The Next Gate is more than a film, it is a personal mission to share the incredible stories from this community on the water.
Director - Rylan McCarthy
Canadian Whitewater SUP Slalom stands at a turning point. In Calgary, a quiet experiment has evolved into a thriving, self-sustaining network, complete with structured weekly training, organized races, and a growing wave of new athletes. The sport is no longer experimental, but it is young enough that its roots can still be documented in real-time. This documentary preserves that founding generation while the memory is still fresh and the builders can speak to why they invested so deeply. Crucially, the film looks forward: presenting Calgary not as an endpoint, but as a proven blueprint for the next community waiting to take the river.
Why This Film Now?
