After years of swimming every day in the freezing ocean at the tip of Africa, Craig Foster meets an unlikely teacher: a young octopus who displays remarkable curiosity. Visiting her den and tracking her movements for months on end he eventually wins the animal’s trust and they develop a never-before-seen bond between human and wild animal.
Cinematography
Foster shot this himself, no crew, in freezing water.
Sound
Underwater audio so immersive you'll hold your breath.
Editing
A year of footage distilled into 85 perfect minutes.
Director
Philippa Ehrlich
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Foster developed his freediving skills to the point of being able to hold his breath for over six minutes, all to avoid scaring his subject with bubbles.
The film sparked genuine scientific debate about anthropomorphism in nature docs — some biologists argued it projects human emotions onto the octopus, while others defended it as accessible science communication.
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Reactions from the web
I never imagined in my entire life that I would cry for an octopus! 😭
@Sejuani89 3018
"What she taught me was to feel that you're a part of this place, not a visitor". One of the strongest line I felt.
@kanishkavisuals 101
It won an Oscar! I’m so happy. I watched this on a whim and cried hard. Sob cried. Wow. Such a touching documentary.
@tidalboxer 1893
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