News

Monday, January 26, 2026

Guy Harvey Hooks World Premiere at the 40th Annual Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival as Official Closing Night Film Gala

FORT LAUDERDALE – (January 21, 2026) —24–time Emmy® Award-winning director and producer Nick Nanton—dubbed “America’s Biographer” by Larry King—along with Astonish Entertainment and Abundance Studios, will unveil the world festival premiere of Guy Harvey at the 40th Annual Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival (FLIFF). The film, an awe-inspiring cinematic portrait of world-renowned marine wildlife artist, scientist, conservationist, entrepreneur, and educator Dr. Guy Harvey, will screen Saturday, February 28 at 6:30 PM at the Museum of Discovery and Science in Fort Lauderdale. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with cast and crew. The film has been selected to close out the prestigious film festival with a celebratory meet and greet event to take place immediately after the Q&A at the same location.

The Guy Harvey documentary explores how one man transformed his artistic gift into a

global movement for ocean awareness. From painting marlin and sharks in the Caribbean to launching the Guy Harvey Foundation, a non-profit that collaborates with local, national and international organizations to conduct scientific research, provide funding to affiliated researchers, and develop cutting-edge educational programs for educators, Dr. Harvey’s journey intertwines art, adventure, and environmental activism in a breathtaking exploration of passion and purpose. Filmed across the Cayman Islands, Panama, California and Florida, the documentary features stunning underwater cinematography, exclusive interviews, and unprecedented access to Dr. Harvey’s creative and scientific world.

“The Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival is truly honored to host the world premiere of the Guy Harvey documentary. As the fishing capital of the world, Fort Lauderdale is the perfect home for a film that celebrates marine life, conservation, and the legacy of one of the most iconic ocean artists of our time,” said Lisa Grigorian, FLIFF President and CEO.

The Guy Harvey documentary stars Dr. Guy Harvey, fellow artist and conservationist

Robert Wyland, wildlife sculptor Kent Ullberg, photographer Jim Abernethy, Guy’s children, Alex and Jessica Harvey; along with dozens of other close friends and colleagues.

The film is directed by Nick Nanton, edited by Nick Ruff and produced by Katie Tschopp.

Director of photography is Kevin Sada and cinematographers include Carlo Alberto

Orecchia, Mike Dunn, Nicolas Tschirhart, Brock Nanton, and Shawn Vela.

 

The film is produced by Astonish Entertainment in association with DNA Films and

Abundance Studios®, which is a collective of entrepreneurs, professionals, and

philanthropists dedicated to creating and sharing media to foster a world of enlightened

thinking and abundant action.

“I applaud Nick Nanton and his team for artfully capturing and highlighting four decades of exploration, research, fishing, diving, education and conservation into such a powerful film about what has become, and still is, an unforgettable journey,” says Dr. Harvey.

A Jamaican native, Dr. Guy Harvey developed an early reverence for the sea that went far beyond sport or spectacle - it became his language. Before his paintings ever hung in galleries or his art appeared on shirts, Dr. Harvey was a scientist in the truest sense: a diver, fish tagger, and chronicler of the untamed.

His canvases were the meeting point of precision and wonder, each brushstroke a data

point in a lifelong study of movement, color, and coexistence. Decades later, his work has

transcended the walls of art and commerce to become a cultural shorthand for marine

respect — an emblem of what it means to see the ocean not as a resource, but as a

relationship.

“I’ve grown up with Guy Harvey - the brand- being a part of everyday life. Literally every

day I see someone wearing one of his signature shirts,” says Director Nick Nanton. “What I

became enamored with, was Dr. Guy Harvey the artist and his love for the ocean and

incredible dedication to conservation through his research. Guy Harvey bridges worlds —

he’s as much a scientist as he is an artist, and his work has changed how millions of people see the ocean. This film celebrates not just his achievements, but the movement he’s inspired to preserve our planet’s most vital resource,” says Nanton.

Nick Nanton has built a career on transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary

capturing the unseen drive behind icons, innovators, and world changers.

 

Show Other Stories