Jamaican Artist Guy Harvey Hosts Documentary Screening World Premiere at FLIFF

FORT LAUDERDALE — 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. Known throughout the industry for his precision, empathy, and editorial instinct, Nanton approaches every subject as both storyteller and architect, shaping narratives that linger long after the credits roll.

His work bridges documentary filmmaking and social impact, blending the pacing of a Hollywood features the authenticity of real life. As the creative force behind Astonish Entertainment, he has carved out a signature style that’s equal parts cinematic craft and moral compass and the kind of filmmaking that doesn’t just observe its subjects, but amplifies their humanity.

The film has just been completed with festival and broadcast premiere plans targeting major international documentary and environmental showcases before theatrical and streaming rollouts.

For more information tickets, visit https://fliff.com/events/guyharveythedocumentary.