“Awaken the Dragon” is a new documentary film about a dragon boat team made up of cancer survivors and those living with cancer. It was screened Thursday night at The Discovery to promote the kick off of the 2019 Northern Nevada Dragon Boat Festival campaign. Nevada-based nonprofit Immunize Nevada is a charity partner with the annual festival held at the Sparks Marina.
Attendees were able to enter a raffle for dragon boat merchandise and even a spot on the Immunize Nevada boat for 2019.
“The annual Northern Nevada International Dragon Boat Festival celebrates ancient Chinese culture, sport, and the natural wonders of the Reno-Sparks region. Dragon boat racing consists of up to 20 members in a boat with a steerer and a drummer, and each team races a total of three times throughout the day,” according to Immunize Nevada.
The documentary looks at a team of dragon boat racers called the Dragon Boat Charleston whose members are all cancer survivors or are undergoing cancer treatment. The documentary switches between heartwarming and heartbreaking as the viewer watches the team celebrate life and mourn for their lost teammates.
If you would like to learn more or register a team for the 2019 races visit: https://immunizenevada.org/our-events/dragon-boats
