Santa Barbara – A new documentary titled “The Last Dive” will screen at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s Film Center from Oct. 16‑22. The film chronicles veteran Terry Kennedy’s remarkable friendship with Willy, a 22‑foot oceanic manta ray, and how scuba diving became a source of calm and healing for Kennedy’s post‑traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Blue therapy on the big screen
Director Cody Sheehy explains that the underwater encounters offered Kennedy an escape from the noise of everyday life, allowing him to focus entirely on the present moment. “You get into the water and, you know, there’s this huge creature arrives and it feels like the ocean goes silent,” Sheehy said. “And they just have your entire focus and they’re so curious.”
Sheehy describes the practice known as “blue therapy,” which uses water‑based experiences to support mental health and well‑being. He notes that scuba‑diving programs for veterans have demonstrated how the underwater environment can provide focus and calm for those coping with PTSD and other challenges.
Decades of a unique bond
Kennedy’s connection with Willy began nearly twenty years ago when the manta ray would slap a wing against his sailboat, prompting Kennedy to don his scuba gear and join the creature in the water. Over time, the routine deepened into a lasting friendship that helped Kennedy become less angry and more dedicated to sharing diving with others and protecting manta rays.
“He’s a very unlikely conservationist, going from a Hells Angel to someone who plays an instrumental role in ocean stewardship,” Sheehy said.
A final expedition
Now in his 80s, Kennedy is preparing for what could be his last journey to reunite with Willy. He has not visited the remote Pacific island where the manta ray lives in about a decade. The documentary follows an expedition that will take Kennedy roughly 250 miles offshore to the island, hoping to bring the two together for one final dive.
“He’s not really been out to that island to see Willy in about ten years,” Sheehy said. “So we put together an expedition and went 250 miles offshore to this remote island out in the Pacific, where Willy lives, with the goal of reuniting Terry and Willy for one last dive.”
Impact beyond the screen
Beyond Kennedy’s personal story, the film highlights the broader potential of blue therapy as an effective healing strategy for PTSD and other mental‑health challenges. It also underscores the importance of ocean conservation, showing how a veteran’s love for the sea can translate into advocacy for protecting marine life.
Tickets for “The Last Dive” are available at SBIFFTheatres.com. The film runs daily through Oct. 22 at the Film Center on State Street.
Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.
