South Africa’s very first Netflix Original Documentary, “My Ocotpus Teacher”, tells the touching story of Craig Foster and his bond with a special octopus. The documentary has already captivated the audiences and panels of film festivals and competition judges across the globe.
The documentary was made by Foster in collaboration with oceanic NGO the Sea Change Project. The organisation raises awareness for the beauty and ecological important of South Africa’s oceans.
“Craig Foster, suffering from a loss of purpose, begins a daily diving regimen in the freezing kelp forests at the tip of Africa in order to re-energize himself. What he discovers below the water’s surface is a totally alien motivation in the form of an unusually curious octopus,” the Sea Change Project’s site reads. “This beautiful record of an animal’s entire life—something seldom achieved in the wild, let alone underwater—was shot over a full year and explores the habits and personality of a strange, undulating creature that most of us have only ever eaten. Beyond intelligent, dextrous and resilient, the cephalopod shares her secret world with Foster as they develop a touching bond. The underwater encounters are literally breathtaking as Foster holds his breath while interacting with the octopus.”
The documentary will be available for viewing as of 9am South African time on Monday, September 7.
Picture: Sea Change Project