MY OCTOPUS TEACHER is Craig Foster’s ode to a kelp forest at the tip of South Africa, and an incredibly special creature who shares life with him there. Filled with beautiful scenery – both from drones in the sky and far beneath the sea – this is an amazing technological achievement that is unexpectedly jaw dropping. Foster’s relation to the creature, like ours, grows daily. And by the time the threats of our natural world turn against what has become our friend too, it is heartbreaking.
This is a film for anyone who has loved a pet or loved a piece of land. For anyone who is lost in their life and needing to reconnect. For anyone afraid they have lost their son, only to find him again. It is a piece about passion and determination, making sure that what needs to happen to succeed happens every day, without fall, all year round. It is a testimony to all involved, and I suspect will change how many people feel about the water that we swim in.
This is one of the best films I have seen this year.