Sitka's Hidden Wonders

What is Sitka's Hidden Wonders about?

Sitka's Hidden Wonders is a 40-minute natural history film by wildlife cinematographer Ben Hamilton. After nearly two decades filming around the world, Ben returns to Sitka, Alaska, the place where his career began, to explore what it means to truly see a place. The film reveals the hidden layers of one of Alaska's wildest coastal ecosystems: humpbacks feeding in nutrient-rich water, bears in the temperate rainforest, seabirds that return to their nests only under moonlight, and glowing plankton at night. Unlike most films about Alaska, it was filmed entirely in Sitka and the surrounding islands, over more than a decade of returning to the same forests and shores.

What awards has the film won?

Sitka's Hidden Wonders has earned international recognition for its storytelling and cinematography. It won the top prize at the Wild and Free Film Festival, won Ecosystems Feature and was a finalist for Best Feature Film at the Wildlife Conservation Film Festival, and received Best Cinematography at the Alexandria Film Festival, Best Cinematography at the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film and Screenplay Festival, Best Directing at the Environmental Film and Screenplay Festival, and Outstanding Excellence from the Nature Without Borders International Film Festival. It was also an official selection at the Anchorage International, Friday Harbor Documentary, and Wild and Scenic Film Festivals.

How can I watch it?

Three ways. Rent it online for $15 and stream it as many times as you like for 7 days, on any browser or device. Rentals are for personal viewing at home. If you would like to show the film to a group, class, or guests, host a screening from $500 and we will provide the file and a screening license. Cruise lines, small ships, and expedition operators can license it for onboard use through the form below. The film is no longer showing daily in Sitka.

Can I show it to my school, group, or guests?

Yes. The film is suitable for all ages and works well for classrooms, community events, lodges, and onboard programs. Send us the venue, the date or season, and the expected audience size through the form below, and we will reply within 48 hours with a screening license, the film in the format you need, and a press kit with stills, a synopsis, and the trailer. Cruise lines, small ships, and expedition operators are quoted per vessel.

How was the film made, and who was involved?

Ben Hamilton filmed Sitka's Hidden Wonders independently over more than a decade, returning to the same forests and shores across every season. The science in the film was developed with the Sitka Sound Science Center, whose researchers study this ecosystem, and its story is rooted in Ben's early work with the Sitka Conservation Society, which works to protect it. It was made for the 600,000 visitors who pass through Sitka each summer, most for only a few hours, to show them what they might otherwise walk past.