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.
My Octopus Teacher (2020) is a documentary film directed by Pippa Ehrlich, released on September 4, 2020 with a runtime of 1h 25m. It stars Craig Foster and Tom Foster. Viewers rate it 7.9 out of 10 across 1,080 ratings.
Watch the official trailer for My Octopus Teacher before you stream it.
Official trailers, teasers, clips and featurettes for My Octopus Teacher.
Trailer
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Directed by Pippa Ehrlich, written by Pippa Ehrlich and James Reed, produced by Craig Foster.
Average viewer score of 7.9/10 from 1,080 ratings.
Not just a documentary (9 January 2021) Why I watched it? Because I love octopuses and the sea. Why I gave it a 10? Because it was something more than just a documentary. It was a personal experience. It got evident from the start. Great captures and the personal storytelling of Foster along with accurate and calming music did it: I immediately relaxed and put myself in his shoes. The rest was history. Amazing…
Reviewed on December 29, 2021
a profoundly moving, visually stunning documentary that elevates a simple premise into a transformative emotional experience. It follows South African filmmaker Craig Foster as he returns daily to a cold-water kelp forest near Cape Town, slowly forming an intimate, almost meditative bond with a wild octopus he encounters there. The film’s greatest strength is how it intertwines awe-inspiring natural observation…
Reviewed on January 4, 2026
I reckon this could be my favourite natural history feature, as despite a slight element of sentimentality, it's really quite fascinating. It all follows the relationship between accomplished diver and photographer Craig Foster and an octopus. He is swimming when he encounters this young creature hiding in it's den. Approaching it, gingerly, he is surprised when it reaches out a tentacle (he calls them arms) and…
Reviewed on July 24, 2026
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My Octopus Teacher (2020) is available to stream on Netflix and Netflix Standard with Ads. Streaming availability is checked against JustWatch data and can change by region.
The main cast of My Octopus Teacher (2020) includes Craig Foster and Tom Foster. The film was directed by Pippa Ehrlich. You can see the full cast and crew list, with character names, further up this page.
My Octopus Teacher was released on September 4, 2020 and runs for 1h 25m.
My Octopus Teacher (2020) holds an average rating of 7.9 out of 10 from 1,080 viewer votes, and is a good pick if you enjoy documentary films. Read the viewer reviews on this page to decide for yourself.
Yes. The official My Octopus Teacher trailer is embedded in the trailer section of this page and plays instantly, no download or sign-up required.
