Stratford’s The Ripple Effect to screen at Rotary International Conference in Taiwan

A screen capture from The Ripple Effect shows a team of racers participating in the Rotary Club of Stratford’s largest annual fundraiser, the Stratford Dragon Boat Festival.

What began as a small, community-driven documentary about the Rotary Club of Stratford’s Dragon Boat Festival is now headed to the largest Rotary gathering in the world.

The Ripple Effect, produced by Ballinran Entertainment in partnership with the Rotary Club of Stratford, has been selected for screening at the 2026 Rotary International Conference in Taipei, Taiwan, running June 13-17. The conference draws roughly 40,000 delegates from more than 150 countries.

“From the beginning, as the executive producer, I saw The Ripple Effect as more than a documentary,” said Robert Ritz on behalf of the Rotary Club of Stratford. “It was an opportunity to amplify a local story that deserved to be heard far beyond Stratford.

“To now see it selected for screening in Taipei, in front of a global Rotary audience, is incredibly rewarding. Craig Thompson and his talented team brought the creative vision and storytelling expertise to make that happen, and together we’ve created something that reflects both our community and Rotary’s global mission.”

Ballinran executive producer Craig Thompson said the opportunity to screen the film in Taiwan came as a complete surprise.

After the film’s premiere screening at the Tom Patterson Theatre last November, Rotary International representative Valerie Wafer approached Thompson following a panel discussion after the film’s initial screening last November and expressed interest in helping expand the film’s reach.

“I said to her, ‘How do we get this out to a wider audience?’” Thompson recalled. “She said, ‘Let me reach out to some people.’”

Initial efforts to gain exposure through Rotary’s magazine were unsuccessful, but Thompson and Rotary Club of Stratford president Dan Kane were later invited to record an episode of the Rotary Voices podcast, which has an estimated global reach of about 300,000 listeners. That connection eventually led to discussions with conference organizers in Taipei.

“At first, they said the program was already locked,” Thompson said. “So, I asked them, ‘Have you watched the film?’ They hadn’t. I sent the link, and after they saw it, they were very impressed.”

Three weeks ago, organizers confirmed they would host a screening June 14 at the Friendship Hall, followed by a talkback session.

While Thompson is realistic about attendance, he said the significance lies in the global exposure.

“We’re not going to get 40,000 people watching it. We might get a few hundred,” he said. “This is the largest Rotary conference in the world, and Stratford and the Rotary Club of Stratford will be on the map. We just did this as a small community project, thinking it was a nice little story. But the ripple effect has gone beyond local – it’s global.”

Featuring many voices recognizable to Stratford audiences, the 30-minute documentary explores how the Rotary Dragon Boat Festival has raised more than $1 million over three decades for local initiatives including hospice care, mental-health services and youth programs, while also supporting international efforts such as AquaBox water-purification kits. The film also reflects on the importance of service clubs at a time when membership is declining.

Thompson said the film resonates internationally because its themes are universal.

“Dragon boating happens all around the world,” he said, “and we’re living at a time when there’s a lot of negativity. People are asking, ‘What can we do as individuals to make a difference in our communities?’ Rotary clubs everywhere will see themselves in this story.”

To attend the conference and represent Stratford, Thompson will need to raise roughly $5,000 to cover travel, accommodations and registration. Plans are underway for a local fundraising screening this spring.

“I wouldn’t be jumping on a plane to Taiwan otherwise,” he said, “but this is a chance to show the film and talk about Stratford to people from 150 countries. It’s about discoverability – giving the film a life beyond its premiere. This is a seed we’re planting.”

If all goes as planned, The Ripple Effect may soon be screened by Rotary clubs far beyond Stratford, proving the film’s title prophetic in more ways than one.

Editor’s note: The author of this article was employed by Ballinran Entertainment to conduct much of the research and interviews featured in The Ripple Effect.