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How ‘My Octopus Teacher’ differs from other ocean documentaries

How ‘My Octopus Teacher’ differs from other ocean documentaries

My Octopus Teacher is a Netflix Original documentary film directed by Pippa Ehrlich and James Reed and stars Craig Foster. It’s not just a typical nature documentary but it is a firsthand narrative of Foster. He spent a year monitoring an octopus in the populated kelp forests off the coast of South Africa.

Foster observed a female octopus while swimming through large fronds of seaweed. He began diving without a wetsuit or an oxygen tank, then started studying the eight-legged creature. They created a friendship in which she plays with Forster and lets him into her world to show how she sleeps, lives, and eats. Their created and reciprocated love is a beautiful example of how a meaningful bond can transcend almost any barrier. “There’s no greater feeling on Earth. The boundaries between her and I seemed to dissolve,” says Foster.

It’s beautifully narrated and educational, with some ecological insights into the behavior and intelligence of these amazing creatures.

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I admit that I sometimes came to an underwater documentary for the spectacular cinematography. However, this was the first documentary about a sea creature told in such a personal and open-hearted manner. So, I enjoyed watching it without much regard for the cinematography. Craig Foster tells the story from the perspective of learning about himself, the animals, and the incredible marine environment—not from a biological standpoint. It’s beautifully narrated and educational, with some ecological insights into the behavior and intelligence of these amazing creatures. It really changes my views on underwater documentaries.

The documentary was transcendentally magnificent as well as emotionally engaging.

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Craig Foster self-filmed this documentary, including the octopus becoming more at ease hanging onto him while he swam and all the everyday dramas that are a part of a wild animal’s life. The shots were stunning and intimate but not invasive. His narrating technique, his calm voice, and the plot flow were all effective and retained my interest. They paid such great attention to the subject that you would truly get into the heart of the octopus’ day and nightlife and realize how intelligent the octopus is in its habitat. This, I believe, separates the documentary from other underwater films.

No matter how far we distance ourselves from the natural world, we are inextricably linked.

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Additionally, this film made it very evident that people may develop attachments to a wide variety of things, including objects and animals of all kinds. It showed how the octopus, whom he referred to as “SHE,” taught him things that no human could. The documentary also made me realize how little I know about the creatures who share our world with us, and how much more I can learn about them. This documentary also addressed some psychological issues such as consciousness, transference, attachment, and soul-searching. As well as how we, people, fail to appreciate the ecosystem and what nature can give.

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You’d never guess that someone could have such a connection with a sea creature and often considered a “monster of the deep”.

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It was also an enchanting viewing experience of how the narrator found his place in the natural world. “What she taught me was to feel… that you are part of this place, not a visitor. That’s a huge difference.”, Foster said. It’s a surprisingly compelling story, and you’d never guess that someone could have such a connection with a sea creature and often considered a “monster of the deep”. Those other documentaries failed to do.

My Octopus Teacher serves as a reminder that we may learn about nature if we take the time to recognize that animals are important. The documentary is an incredible experience to connect with such a wonderful creature because, for them, you are part of their world. We are part of each other’s world. I gained a new and awe-inspiring perspective of nature and nonhuman intelligence.

To read more of the author’s works, click here.

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