Early this morning South African hearts beat in delight when The Motion Picture Academy announced that ‘My Octopus Teacher’, filmed in Simonstown in Cape Town, won the 2021 Oscar for Best Documentary Feature, a Netflix film.

When the film was launched during Lockdown last year it was a ray of light at a bleak time of the Corona Pandemic, and was viewed by millions around the world, not just locally.  Many of us learnt that Simonstown has a kelp forest,  and the story of the unnamed octopus that went through its life cycle, meeting Craig Foster, who dived and connected with each other daily, for a year.

The Oscar went to Craig Foster, Pippa Ehrlich, and James Reed. It won awards at the Critics Choice Documentary Awards, as well as a BAFTA.

In her acceptance speech, Ehrlich said: ‘I’m feeling grateful and overwhelmed and amazed and proud. Very proud as a South African especially. I do have this feeling that the whole of South Africa is behind us. It’s a huge privilege to feel like I’m representing this place that I love. So that’s amazing.”

President Ramaphosa wrote to the filmmakers ahead of the Oscar ceremony late last week, to congratulate them on their nomination: ‘The documentary is storytelling at its best, with a deeply resonant conservation message. The team should be justifiably proud, as are we, that My Octopus Teacher has been nominated in the Best Documentary category for this year’s Academy Awards – a first ever for a South African documentary. Conservation of our natural world, and our oceans in particular, is a national priority for South Africa. This documentary has opened a window into the natural beauty and diversity of South Africa’s oceans and marine ecosystems. Importantly, this documentary will encourage a greater appreciation and advocacy for marine conservation at a time when ocean degradation is a growing global problem.”–

This is the story which I wrote about ‘My Octopus Teacher’ in November 2020:

Tintswalo Boulders launches ‘My Octopus Teacher’ inspired Marine Exploration Adventure Experience!

 

Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.whaletalesblog.com  www.chrisvonulmenstein.com/blog Tel +27 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@Ulmenstein Facebook: Chris von Ulmenstein Instagram: @Chrissy_Ulmenstein @MyCapeTownGuide