‘The Farmer and The Shark', documentary about ‘JAWS’ to premiere at the key west film festival’

Photo Credit: Conrad Krumm

Directed by John Campopiano (Pennywise: The Story of IT), THE FARMER AND THE SHARK will have its World Premiere at the 15th annual Key West Film Festival in the southernmost cinema screens in America on November 22, 2026.

Michael Tuckman director of programming at the Key West Film Festival said of the announcement, “we are very excited to be presenting the world premiere of The Farmer And The Shark. Had the water been a little deeper- and the tax incentives a little sweeter - JAWS might have been shot in the Keys. And a character like Quint can be found among the many faces and personalities of the Keys, so we welcome the story of Craig Kingsbury with open jaws.”

John Campopiano comments: “The international JAWS community is a diehard bunch and they've committed countless hours of their time to researching everything about the film. That's what makes The Farmer & the Shark so special because it's chock full of never-before-heard stories and archive that the greater public has never seen. Our entire team is honored to share this special documentary with the world via its world festival premiere at the Key West Film Festival next month”.

Rick DiGregorio, Producer of the film commented, “For the past eight years we’ve been immersed in everything JAWS, so we are incredibly excited that the KWFF has given us the opportunity to come up for air at long last and share our unique take on the making of the film, Martha’s Vineyard and the inimitable Craig Kingsbury”. 

Synopsis And Background To Film

The story of Quint in Steven Spielberg's “Jaws”, and how Craig Kingsbury and a group of local islanders made one of the greatest cinema blockbusters of all time.

The Farmer & the Shark explores the extraordinary life of local Martha’s Vineyard legend, Craig Kingsbury, and his impact on the production of Steven Spielberg’s classic, Jaws, a film that still terrifies audiences and inspire filmmakers five decades after it was made.

The film focuses on the unique influence Kingsbury had on the film, from both behind and in front of the camera, as the embodiment of Robert Shaw’s iconic shark hunter, Quint. Along the way we also learn of the many island locals whose ocean savvy and ingenuity were instrumental in transforming Jaws from a potential failure to the paradigm of the summer blockbuster.

Through conversations with Craig Kingsbury’s family members and never-before-seen interviews with the many local and Hollywood tradesmen and artisans who worked on the film, including Production Designer Joe Alves, Cameraman Michael Chapman, Tom Joyner, Kevin Pike, Jonathan Filley, Jeffrey Kramer, The Farmer and the Shark weaves a fascinating tale of how Mr. Kingsbury was reluctantly recruited by the production to help transform Mr. Shaw - through his own language and mannerisms - from a distinguished Shakespearean actor into the gruff Downeast fisherman who serves as the unforgettable heart of the film.


Production Credits

From the director of the US & UK number 1 documentary Pennywise: The Story of IT comes the story of Quint in Steven Spielberg's Jaws, and how Craig Kingsbury and a group of local islanders made the first real cinema blockbuster.

The Farmer & the Shark is directed by John Campopiano, written by Rick DiGregorio (Cheers), and John Campopiano, and co-written by Matthew Spry. Gabriel Long is Director of Photography. It was produced by Eastwood Allen (RoboDoc: The Creation of Robocop), Jim Beller (JAWS: Memories from Martha’s Vineyard), Kelly Ryan, and Matt Taylor and Executive Produced by John Campopiano, James Cilano, and Rick DiGregorio. The documentary features original music by Matt Cannon, original illustrations by Jacob Walsh, animations by Mike Nixon, motion graphics by Eastwood Allen, and was edited by Jay Espindola (Art Attack! The Dissection of Terrifier 3).

The Farmer & the Shark is produced by Leroy Street Films in association with Atomic Clock, Witter Entertainment, North River Films, and Stage 3 Productions, and also features a trove of rare and never-before-seen archive from the production of Jaws. In addition, it showcases the expansive family archives of the Kingsbury family as well as historical collections from the Martha’s Vineyard Museum.

Press Contacts

Laurence Gornall

Laurence@Unannounced.co.uk

t: +44 (0)7966 170 872

Paul Smith PR

t: +44 (0)7970 878 802

paulwsmithpr@gmail.com