New Film Celebrates Salmon’s Remarkable Journey In Alaska And Pacific Rim

Recently, we checked out a Seattle IMAX theater screening of a new documentary film, Running Wild: Return to the River, which will is currently playing in select theaters, including Alaska, and will have future screenings in other West Coast locales. We’ll have a full feature story, including interviews with the Wild Salmon Center, which partnered with renowned filmmaker Myles Connolly, who we also chatted with, in our June issue. But here’s some more information on the movie:

Journey into one of nature’s most vibrant ecosystems

Witness one of nature’s most compelling sagas in Running Wild: Return to the River—the incredible life of Pacific salmon. Prepare for a breathtaking immersion into a vital ecosystem, where the fate of wild salmon is intertwined with iconic wildlife and untamed beauty. From the grizzlies and wolves that patrol the rivers’ edge to the orcas and eagles reliant on their ocean bounty, discover the profound influence of wild salmon across both land and sea.

Through stunning visuals and intimate storytelling, Running Wild: Return to the River follows the return of wild salmon to the streams where they began. Experience their remarkable resilience and the intricate web of life sustained by their epic journey. Along the way, encounter the deep interdependence of creatures—from sea lions to grizzly bears and even ourselves—each playing a crucial part in this vibrant and interconnected world.

Narrator 

Academy Award® nominee Liam Neeson (Schindler’s List, Taken, The Grey) lends his iconic voice as the narrator of Running Wild: Return to the River. An avid angler and conservationist, Neeson found a personal connection with the film’s themes.

“The story of the salmon’s return is one of nature’s greatest odysseys—and a powerful reminder of our responsibility to protect the wild places that sustain us all,” said Neeson. “I was drawn to this film because it captures both the beauty and the urgency of conservation in a way that’s deeply moving and shows how everything in nature, including us, is connected.”

Assisted by the Wild Salmon Center and other conservation and tribal organizations, Connolly shoots in several West Coast locales, including Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Preserve and Bristol Bay’s Lake Iliamna, plus across the Pacific in Russia. The film is available in a spectacular 3D format on IMAX and currently playing at the Alaska Odyssey Dome theater in Sitka. Click here for showtimes. There are also upcoming screenings set for Portland (currently sold out) on May 20 and San Francisco on June 23 (tickets will be on sale soon).

Here’s a trailer for the film: