The documentary Four Down, based on the best-selling book Not Without Hope by Nick Schuyler and Jere Longman, is set to open the 20th annual Sunscreen Film Festival on April 24 in St. Petersburg, Florida. Directed by Steven Cantor, the film tells the gripping story of Schuyler’s survival after a 2009 boating accident in the Gulf of Mexico, which claimed the lives of three others, including former Tampa Bay Buccaneers players Marquis Cooper and Corey Smith, as well as Schuyler’s best friend and University of South Florida teammate Will Bleakley.
Schuyler was miraculously rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard 43 hours after the accident, found barely alive while clinging to the engine mount of a capsized vessel 70 miles offshore. Four Down, a 95-minute hybrid documentary, incorporates reenactments filmed in St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Tampa, and at Lantica Studios in the Dominican Republic. For these sequences, Cantor enlisted active U.S. Coast Guard members, alongside interviews with Schuyler, NFL figures, and Coast Guard personnel who played pivotal roles in the rescue.
Rick French, Schuyler’s agent and managing partner of Prix Productions, expressed the importance of premiering the documentary in St. Petersburg. “This city is not only where the story unfolded, but it is also home to the U.S. Coast Guard sector, as well as the families and friends of the victims,” said French. “The essence of this film is about survival, hope, and resilience, emphasizing how the families, especially the Coast Guard, refused to give up, and ultimately saved Nick’s life.”
Tony Armer, founder of the Sunscreen Film Festival, echoed French’s sentiment, calling the film a fitting tribute to the strength and bravery shown in the face of tragedy. “This 20th edition of the festival is about reflection, celebration, and honoring the resilience of those involved, while commemorating the lives lost,” said Armer.
The documentary was financed by Gala Film with a $5 million budget, with executive producers including Schuyler, Snoop Dogg, Sara Ramaker of Death Row Pictures, and Mark Wahlberg, Stephen Levinson, and Archie Gips of Unrealistic Ideas. Gips shared his enthusiasm for the project, describing Four Down as “a visceral experience” that will stay with viewers long after they watch it.
French, who refers to the documentary as an “immersive experience,” added that it is not a comfortable film to watch but one that places the audience directly into the intense struggle for survival. Despite the potentially uncomfortable content, he is confident in the film’s distribution prospects. “We know we will sell it,” French affirmed. While Netflix had initially provided development funding, he explained that there are multiple options for distribution on the table, and the team is carefully considering the best direction for the film.
The premiere of Four Down precedes the highly anticipated narrative film adaptation of Not Without Hope, which stars Josh Duhamel and Zachary Levi. French, who helped secure Schuyler’s book deal and co-owns the rights to the intellectual property, has also served as a producer on the narrative film. After several production delays, including the interruption caused by Relativity Media’s bankruptcy, French noted that Not Without Hope is expected to be released in U.S. theaters later this year, with discussions about domestic distribution offers currently underway.
The documentary and narrative films are intended to complement each other, sharing the same core story of survival, heroism, and the unbreakable human spirit. Four Down is produced by French, Cantor, and Jamie Schutz of Stick Figure Productions, with Stanley Buchthal and David Koh of Dakota Media Group.
Related topic:
Yash’s “Toxic” Set to Redefine Indian Cinema with Dual-Language Production
“The Plastic Men”: A Haunting Exploration of PTSD in Vietnam Veterans
‘No Other Land’ Sheds Light on Struggles in Masafer Yatta