‘The Last Dive’ to premiere in San Diego with film, healing and community event

The documentary “The Last Dive” will premiere Aug. 19 at San Diego’s Balboa Theatre, bringing together ocean, veteran and wellness groups for a screening, healing session and panel discussion. The event highlights a story about conservation, trauma and closure, and comes after the film picked up awards on the festival circuit.

Why it matters: - The San Diego premiere is designed as more than a film screening. - The event brings together ocean advocates, veterans and wellness communities around a story tied to healing and conservation. - The film has already built momentum on the festival circuit, giving the premiere added visibility.

What happened: - “The Last Dive” will screen Wednesday, Aug. 19 at 7 p.m. at the Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Avenue, in downtown San Diego. - Doors open at 6 p.m. - The evening will include a red carpet, a guided healing experience with San Diego-based mind-body expert Dr. Brian Alman, the film premiere, a post-screening Q&A and a dance party led by Daybreaker. - The premiere is presented with support from Patagonia, SSI, NRDC, Daybreaker, Ocean Enterprises Worldwide Dive Team, Rhumbline Media, Mares, WILDCOAST Costasalvaje, Sierra Club San Diego Chapter, SeaTrees, Area 23A, RandomGood and WarFighter Scuba. - Tickets are available here.

The details: - The documentary follows Terry Kennedy, an American veteran from Baja California, Mexico, whose life changed after he formed a friendship with Willy, a 22-foot oceanic manta ray. - For nearly two decades, Willy would slap its wings against Kennedy’s sailboat hull to signal the next dive. - Kennedy says the bond helped turn him into an unexpected conservationist. - In his 80s, Kennedy heads to a remote island for one final journey to look for Willy and seek peace, closure and a goodbye. - The film is directed by Cody Sheehy and produced by Mark Monroe, the writer behind the Academy Award-winning documentaries “The Cove” and “Icarus.” - Randy Gebhardt and Christopher Gebhardt are also credited as producers. - The film won Best Cinematography in a Documentary Feature at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival, Best Documentary at the Montreal International and Boise film festivals, and three audience awards. - The film has played more than 50 sold-out festival screenings. - The documentary has partnered with organizations including The Guardian, Outside Magazine, Patagonia, NRDC, WCS, Surfrider Foundation, Manta Trust, the United Nations and AARP. - More information is available at the film’s website. - The event also has social media pages on Instagram and Facebook.

Between the lines: - The premiere package suggests the filmmakers are positioning “The Last Dive” as a communal experience, not just a documentary. - The lineup of ocean, military and wellness partners reflects the film’s overlapping themes of trauma, recovery and environmental stewardship. - Director Cody Sheehy said San Diego was a natural fit because it is a military town, a diving town and a place where people understand healing through faith, water or community. - The film’s festival awards and sold-out screenings point to strong audience interest before its San Diego debut.

What's next: - Sheehy and Kennedy will join a post-screening panel to discuss the film and the ocean conservation work it depicts. - Panelists include Joel Reynolds of NRDC, Serge Dedina of WILDCOAST, Nick Powers of SSI and WarFighter Scuba, Mark West of Sierra Club San Diego Chapter and Jane Vinesky, a manta researcher. - The San Diego premiere will serve as one of the film’s key public events as it continues its wider rollout.

The bottom line: - “The Last Dive” is coming to San Diego as both a documentary premiere and a community event centered on healing, conservation and shared purpose.