UMF Visiting Writers features screening of mockumentary “Canoe Dig It?” with award winning filmmaker Samuel Dunning, Oct. 15

FARMINGTON, ME  (September 30, 2026)—The University of Maine at Farmington is excited to present screenwriter and filmmaker Samuel Dunning as the second reader of the 2026 Fall semester of its Visiting Writers series.

An award winning filmmaker and actor, Dunning’s latest film “Canoe Dig It?” (2025), which he wrote, directed, and starred in, premiered at the highly acclaimed Cinequest Film Festival in San Jose, Calif., and continues a very successful festival run.

Dunning’s film will screen at 7 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 15, in the Emery Community Arts Center performance space. There will be a Q&A with Dunning after the screening of his film. This screening is free and open to the public.

Dunning has earned nominations for Best Supporting Actor at Nevermore Film Festival, and his short horror comedy, “Rick and Ruby” (2019), which he wrote, directed, and performed in, won multiple film festival awards from Sitges Film Festival, Screamfest and Dead by Dawn, among others.

Canoe Dig It? is a mockumentary that offers a comical glimpse into the world of Freestyle Canoeing following the country’s top canoeists as they travel to Northern Maine to compete for the title “Top Paddler.” Of Dunning’s film, reviewer Joseph Moser writes that Dunning, “as a native son, constantly reveals his affection for his home state… His film takes up the mantle of Christopher Guest… showing love for its characters while inviting viewers to laugh at their glaring foibles… [with] self-delusions and folly on display, “Canoe Dig It?” effectively reveals the humanity of its characters.”

Originally from Brunswick, Maine, Dunning splits his time between the east and west coast as a filmmaker, actor and model. He is a graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and holds a BFA in Film Production and Direction.

The Visiting Writer Series is sponsored by the UMF Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing Program.

More Information on the UMF Creative Writing Program

As the only Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program in the state of Maine and one of only three in all of New England, the UMF program invites students to work with faculty, who are practicing writers, in workshop-style classes to discover and develop their writing strengths in the genres of poetry, fiction, and non-fiction. Small classes, an emphasis on individual conferencing, and the development of a writing portfolio allow students to see themselves as artists and refine their writing under the guidance of accomplished and published faculty mentors.

Students can pursue internships to gain real-world writing and publishing experience by working on campus with The Sandy River Review, a student-run literary magazine; or The Farmington Flyer, a university student newspaper.

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Media Contact: Amy Neswald, UMF professor of creative writing, at amy.neswald@maine.edu.

EDITOR’S NOTE:
Image: https://farmington.edu/app/uploads/2026/09/RP267-009A.webp
Photo Caption: Samuel Dunning
Photo Credit: Submitted Image

Image: https://farmington.edu/app/uploads/2026/09/Canoe-Dig-It_-Poster_Final.webp
Photo Credit: Submitted Image