My Octopus Teacher
2020 · Movie · 85 min · ★ 7.9 · 88% critics
In a cold kelp forest at the tip of Africa, a weary filmmaker begins daily swims and encounters a curious young octopus. Over months of careful observation, an unusual bond forms, opening a quiet window into ocean life, trust, and personal renewal.
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Streaming on Netflix.
1 hour to watch.
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Details
- Years
- 2020
- Release date
- 2020-09-04
- Language
- English
- Runtime
- 85 min
- Max quality
- UHD
- Critic score
- 88/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.9/10 (1,037 votes)
About
You’ll like this if you enjoy intimate nature stories like Oceans or Blackfish with strong emotion and wonder; Not for you if you prefer detached, fact-heavy wildlife documentaries.
Pros: moving animal bond; breathtaking underwater visuals; calming personal storytelling | Cons: sentimental commentary; human interference concerns; light on hard science
Themes
- diving
- octopus
- intelligence
- atlantic ocean
- human animal relationship
- south africa
- based on true story
- underwater
- shark
- western cape
- nature documentary
- marine life
- +3 more
Awards & recognition
- Academy Award — Best Documentary Feature Film · 2021
- Grierson Awards
Cast & crew
- CF
Craig Foster
as Self
- TF
Tom Foster
as Self
Directed by Pippa Ehrlich, James Reed