← Back to results
My Octopus Teacher
2020 85 min South Africa, United Kingdom 6+
★8.7
Documentary
Director: Pippa Ehrlich, James Reed
Trailers
EN
EN
Description
After years of swimming every day in the freezing ocean at the tip of Africa, Craig Foster meets an unlikely teacher: a young octopus who displays remarkable curiosity. Visiting her den and tracking her movements for months on end he eventually wins the animal’s trust and they develop a never-before-seen bond between human and wild animal.
Starring
Craig Foster
Actor
Tom Foster
Actor
Awards
BAFTA 2021
— Best Documentary Feature
Academy Awards 2021
— Best Documentary Feature
Key opinion
My Octopus Teacher is widely praised as a visually stunning and deeply personal meditation on the connection between humanity and the natural world. While some viewers find the filmmaker's subjective, sentimental approach slightly contrived, most audiences are captivated by the unique, intimate bond at the heart of the story.
| Cinematography | The underwater cinematography creates a dreamlike, cathedral-like atmosphere that captures the kelp forest with unprecedented intimacy and beauty. | |
| Score | The score integrates seamlessly with the narrative, enhancing the film's calming and meditative tone. | |
| Theme | The film functions as a profound, sincere exploration of human empathy and our place within the natural ecosystem. | |
| Pacing | The deliberate, meditative pacing rewards viewers who engage with its slow, naturalistic rhythm, though those expecting a traditional, fast-paced nature documentary may find it demanding. | |
| Screenplay | The highly personal, subjective focus of the narrative is viewed by some as an evocative, humanistic storytelling device, while others perceive it as overly sentimental or contrived. |