Final call for the 2026 Ottawa Outdoor Film Festival!

This article was originally published in the CPAWS newsletter. Subscribe here.

We can’t believe the Ottawa Outdoor Film Festival is now less than a month away and we are excited to bring so many of you together to celebrate our love for nature! The breathtaking selection of films will help get us inspired and ready for a discussion on how we can turn that inspiration into action right here in the Ottawa Valley.

We are blessed with many beautiful green spaces to celebrate and protect and we can do it when we work together!

Read on to find out more on what’s in store on the 15th of November, including some great local speakers and make sure you grab your tickets before they’re gone!

Buy your tickets today!

Have you checked out our film lineup yet? Get ready to be inspired as we take a cinematic journey together for an evening of celebration. Find out more here!

Announcing our guest speakers

We are blessed with an incredible landscape here in the Ottawa Valley but we also have some pretty amazing people! To help get you excited about nature here and learn about the main issues we are facing and how we can all help, we are bringing you a panel of local experts so we can all get our heads together!

Lawrence Gunther - MC

Lawrence Gunther is North America’s only blind conservationist and professional angler, outdoor writer, podcaster, blogger, film maker and TV host. Having gone blind at age eight, Lawrence applies his outdoor experience, masters in environmental studies, local knowledge and ability to envisage nature with unique and insightful results.

Elizabeth Logue - MC

Elizabeth Logue served as Ottawa Riverkeeper from 2019 to 2021, drawing on over 20 years of federal public service experience. A member of Kitigan Zibi Anishinaabeg First Nation (Algonquin/Irish), she is deeply connected to the Kichi Zibi/Ottawa River watershed and passionate about protecting our waterways and natural environment for all species and future generations.

Albert Dumont - Opening Speaker

Albert Dumont is an Algonquin Elder from Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg, a storyteller, poet and traditional teacher dedicated to Indigenous healing, spirituality and cultural teachings. Ottawa’s former English Poet Laureate (2021–2023), he uses poetry and storytelling to share Indigenous knowledge, protect the rights of Indigenous Peoples and deepen connections to the land and its teachings.

Max Finkelstein - Panelist

Known as Canada’s “canoe man,” Max Finkelstein is an accomplished paddler, author and environmentalist. A longtime contributor to the Canadian Heritage Rivers System, he has paddled thousands of kilometres across the world and written about Canada’s waterways, their history and their natural heritage. His deep connection to the Ottawa River inspires his work to celebrate and protect these remarkable landscapes for future generations.

Dr Rachel Buxton - Panelist

Dr. Rachel Buxton is a conservation scientist and Assistant Professor at Carleton University whose research explores biodiversity conservation, urban wildlife and the sounds of nature. Her work examines how natural soundscapes benefit wildlife and human health, and how science can help create healthier, more biodiverse communities. She is passionate about advancing conservation solutions and environmental justice for people and nature.

Émilie De Sousa - Panelist

Passionate about the environment since childhood, Émilie has always been committed to learning, raising public awareness, and protecting the natural world. Most recently, Émilie joined CPAWS-OV’s Nature for Everyone, Everywhere! youth program. She volunteers on several of our campaigns, bringing her passion and unique perspective to the important work of protecting nature.

We can’t wait for the big night! Make sure you have your tickets so you can join us as we grow our community of nature warriors for a green future in the Ottawa Valley. We can’t make it happen without you!