Join us at Patagonia Brooklyn for a screening and panel discussion of The Last Dive, a new documentary following the story of a giant manta ray off the coast of Mexico.
Terry is a legendary figure in Baja Mexico, an American veteran who has spent decades living on—and in—the water. Once a man burdened by a troubled past, Terry’s life was transformed by an unlikely friendship with Willy, a 22-foot oceanic manta ray. For nearly two decades, Willy would slap his wings against the hull of Terry’s sailboat to signal their next dive, and together they explored the ocean’s depths—an extraordinary bond that turned Terry into an unexpected conservationist.
Now in his 80’s, Terry embarks on one final journey to a remote island in hopes of reuniting with his old friend. But he’s also searching for something deeper: peace, closure, and a chance to say goodbye.
Directed by award-winning filmmaker Cody Sheehy and produced by acclaimed Mark Monroe, The Last Dive is a visually stunning and emotionally resonant documentary that invites viewers to reflect on our connection to the natural world—and the wild, mysterious creatures that help us find our place in it.
Runtime of this documentary is 90 minutes, with a panel discussion following the film. We'll have five amazing panelists joining us: Dr. Robert Rubin, Director Cody Sheehy, and three manta ray experts from Wildlife Conservation Society: Luke Warwick, Hans Walters, and Dana Tricarico.
Come early or stay late to experience the world of manta rays through VR headsets from Manta Trust!
Drinks, snacks, and chance-to-win items will be available at the door! All donations and proceeds will benefit manta conservation and advocacy efforts.
Dr. Rubin is the founder and director of the Pacific Manta Research Group, which conducts field research in the Subtropical Pacific. Their efforts are dedicated to the assessment and the conservation of oceanic manta rays and other marine animals and their critical habitats. The efforts also include establishment of educational programs about protection and conservation of marine organisms aboard ships and in colleges and universities in México and the USA. Their recent work has significantly contributed to The UNESCO establishment of the Archipélago de Revillagigedo of México as a World Heritage Site.
Dr. Rubin has been selected by the State of California, the United States Senate and Congress to receive their awards for outstanding contributions to college and university teaching. He is the recipient of the NISOD award for outstanding contributions to higher education and has been honored by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching as “The California College and University Professor of the Year”. He has worked as a project reviewer and program developer for the National Science Foundation (NSF) and for the US Department of Energy (DOE). He presently serves on the foundation boards and as a scientific advisor of the Save Our Seas, Sea Watch, NOAA Cordell Bank Marine Sanctuary Foundations, and The international Manta Trust. Additionally, his research on manta rays has been the subject of international public media productions for The Discovery Channel, National Geographic Channel, World of Wonder, Changing Seas, Animal Planet, Blue Realm, and a TEDx invited presentation.
Cody Sheehy is an award-winning filmmaker whose films intimately tell the stories of characters challenged by our changing world. He has lived on a sailboat for decades and is the founder of Rhumbline Media. As a filmmaker, he is best known for the film Make People Better, which was an official selection of HotDocs and the winner of DocVille.
Luke Warwick studied Oceanography and Marine Biology at the United Kingdom's National Oceanography Center at the University of Southampton.
After completing his studies he has spent 12 years working on marine conservation policy development and implementation globally, through his work for the United Kingdom Government and at the Pew Charitable Trusts.
He is a global expert in the field of shark and ray conservation and management, having worked on the issues throughout his career, including at the Intergovernmental level, in the development research and monitoring techniques, and in the establishment of strong management policies all over the world.
Animal supervisor Hans Walters oversees the daily care of a number of marine animals at the New York Aquarium. He also studies movements of sand tiger, mako, and blue sharks as a field scientist with the Wildlife Conservation Society's New York seascape program. Hans holds a BS from University of Miami and a MS from Hofstra University.
Dana Tricarico received her Master's of Professional Science from the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science in 2015 where she researched the invasive lionfish species in South Florida. Prior to that, she received her Bachelor's degree in Environmental Studies from Siena College in 2014 with a minor in Psychology, and concentration in Globalization Studies.
She began her professional career as a biological science technician for the National Park Service, where she researched tropical marine ecosystem health and urban marine conservation. Through her fieldwork, and her experiences at various non-profits, she gained crucial outreach and administrative skills needed to coordinate conservation efforts.
Dana continues to maintain her certification as an AAUS scientific diver, National Park Service Blue Card Holder for their dive teams and is also a PADI Divemaster. Using her skill set, she hopes to continue to assist in the growth of the New York Seascape and the WCS Global Marine Conservation as a whole.
