I was seeking something positive and uplifting to watch during this pandemic and year of uncertainty. I found the video that I needed, on Netflix.
My Octopus Teacher is an hour and a half of enchantment, underwater wonderment, and a special glimpse into an unlikely relationship, but more importantly an understanding between two vastly different creatures. Remarkably, I saw a human grow from his encounters with an octopus and share these life lessons with his son.
Photographer, Craig Foster captures the incredible beauty of Cape Town, South Africa’s underwater forests and an array of unearthly encaptivating creatures that make up this colorful world, below the waves. His daily dedication to this amazing octopus and the harsh environment becomes a continuous adventure.
Foster beautifully chronicles his meetings, as he navigates the turbulent icy Atlantic waters, sharing stunning, breathtaking, memorable video that you will never forget—or may even watch again and or share with others.
It is rare that I find a movie that is so spiritually hopeful, thoughtful, beautiful, and moving. This film is a treat for the senses. There are numerous messages to leave with, but the greatest that I get from it is that of compassion, understanding, awareness, and appreciation for all living creatures. My Octopus Teacher sweeps viewers into what looks like a magical world for a 90-minute getaway. It is rejuvenating!
Parkinson’s disease has taught me greater awareness and compassion. Like this movie, Parkinson’s has taken me to places I never would have dreamed and has allowed me to meet and learn from people different, but alike, to me.
The documentary provides me with hope and a sense that maybe humans can take their time, show some curiosity, and offer sensitivity to others. One would hope, that with awareness, we might learn about the world around us so that we could better understand it, protect it, and sustain it. This film shows that there are valuable lessons and insights from Nature, that apply to all of us. This film reminds us to be empathetic and to care, something all of us could use, at this rocky time.
