LESSONS IN SCALE AND IMPACT FROM ‘MY OCTOPUS TEACHER’
By Pascale Hunt
Image credit: Ross Frylinck
The award-winning My Octopus Teacher is one of the most heartwarming documentaries released in a while. The film, which premiered on Netflix on September 7th, follows film maker and free diver Craig Foster who had spent the last decade diving off the rocky coastline of Cape Town, known for its extremely cold water and rough conditions. The kelp forest where the story takes place is a clear and still patch in the midst of a chaotic coast, rich in biodiversity in what is essentially Foster’s backyard. One day, he meets an octopus as he is exploring the kelp forest, and driven by a playful but serious curiosity he builds trust with the young octopus that allows him to bear witness to most of her short life and find unexpected meaning in his own.
Ten years in the making, the film is the product of a partnership between Off The Fence/ZDF Enterprises and Sea Change Project, established by Foster and his partner Ross Frylinck. The cinematography is so immersive and beautiful that it evokes a sense of magical realism, but what makes the story so compelling is the glaring sense of unity between the subtle and the profound. The small unassuming patch of kelp forest in Foster’s backyard is also the magical, otherworldly setting in which this story takes place, and the simple acknowledgement between Foster and the octopus of a common nature between them expresses so simply a sense of planetary unity that is tangible and familiar. For those of us who are especially concerned about the natural world and our ability to protect it, there are important lessons in My Octopus Teacher.
The first lesson is in curiosity and cohabitation. Perhaps the most beautiful truth the viewer takes away from the film is the realisation that what we are watching is a blueprint for an experience that any one of us could have; these corners of the Earth are all around us, and there are endless opportunities to observe micro-interactions and participate respectfully in them. The relationship is initially borne out of Foster’s desire for a change of pace and to reignite a sense of purpose in his life. Driven by a subsequent curiosity and attentiveness to his immediate environment, he opens himself to the possibility of experiencing this small but life changing connection.
“What she taught me is to feel that you are part of this place. Not a visitor. And that’s a huge difference.” - Craig Foster
Image credit: @worry__lines
The mental health benefits of interactions with animals and time in nature more generally have been widely discussed in the context of the pandemic, and the potency of final embrace between Foster and the octopus on the heartstrings of millions of viewers around the world seems to prove this fact. Lockdown restrictions have had the unintended benefit of increasing the amount of time people are spending in nature, and while this story was filmed back in 2010, the potential for adventure, learning and growth through just paying a little more attention is pertinent today.
While it’s the relationship between just two organisms that has captured the world’s attention, the implication is more universal. The dynamic between the two is one of mutual respect: while neither poses a natural threat to the other, Foster nevertheless has the higher capacity to physically dominate or outsmart his non-human counterpart. He is of course a benevolent actor, genuine in his desire for her to know that he means her no harm, and over time a mutual trust is built between them. The respect and care that Foster shows and obviously holds for this individual creature is the kind of response to an imbalance of power that we must recognize is the only natural one, and which can be applied to how we can interact with the wider world around us with more intention and awareness. It’s subtly heartbreaking to know as the viewer the dramatic irony the octopus doesn’t; that our humans activities are a threat.
“It is a very intimate touch when an octopus touches one.... When an animal decides to reach out, it’s risking itself because it’s not sure. It’s a much bigger thing and creature and it’s not sure. So that is obviously a powerful experience”, Foster told BizNews.
Image credit: Craig Foster
The second lesson is a lesson in scale. Kelp forests cover about 25% of the world’s coastlines and attain some of the highest rates of primary production of any natural ecosystem. The Great South African Seaforest provides nutrition and shelter to an abundance of marine life including many species of fish, crustaceans, fur seals, and abalone, and multiple shark species, including the Great White, Sevengill Shark, Gully Sharks, Puffadder Shyshark and Pyjama Shark. Kelp forests play an important role in climate mitigation due to its carbon sequestering and oxygen creating capabilities. As sea levels rise and extreme weather becomes more commonplace, kelp forests will provide important protection to the coastline from storms.
These biogenic habitats typically occur in the cooler waters of temperate and arctic regions, but studies show these patterns are changing. Overfishing, direct harvest and climate change are prominent global, human driven threats to the health of kelp forests. A global analysis of kelp forest change across the last 50 years determined that the ‘high degree of variation in magnitude and direction of change across the geographic range of kelps’ calls for region-specific, adaptive responses, taking into account local stressors and including increased monitoring to facilitate in depth understanding.
In South Africa, two types of kelp are under particular threat from commercial exploitation, Laminaria and Ecklonia maxima. While local sustainable management practices are increasing, researchers suggest that the threats far exceed conservation strategies and novel conservation solutions will be required to protect these ecosystems. As the report notes, ‘examining patterns of regional change can provide important insights into the mechanisms underlying global change’. The scientific assessment - that through illumination of the local, we might better understand the global - inadvertently sums up the film’s sentiment. A small action or a small connection can have profound implications, and it is through and within the small things that we can better understand the big things.
Finally, the film is a lesson in the art of letting go - knowing what we can change, and accepting what we can’t. Through a zen-like openness to experiencing the nature of things, Foster learns to navigate her world with increasing comfort, embracing the entirety of the underwater environment with no wetsuit and no oxygen tank. He describes how wearing a wetsuit acts as more than just a physical barrier between him and the kelp forest; it’s imperative that his skin is exposed in order to connect with this space. But despite Foster’s escalating emotional investment as the octopus’s life unfolds, he maintains the proper boundaries, making sure not to interfere in the natural life-cycle of the ecosystem even when it might mean losing her.
On choosing not to name the octopus, Foster has said “I didn’t want it to become like a pet or curiosity or just some arbitrary thing. This is an individual animal living this extraordinary life in the great African sea forest. And you know, she’s my teacher and that’s why I didn’t give her some arbitrary name.”
The enormity of the challenges we face in ensuring the survival and integrity of our environment can often feel overwhelming, the will and action required to address multifaceted crises daunting and paralysing. My Octopus Teacher is a reminder that a narrowed focus can be just as impactful as a wide one, and that a child-like awe for our magical and fragile world is rewarding at any age. The film simply and powerfully expresses the inexplicable sentiment that unites us all in our quest for meaning and reminds us to keep our eyes open to unexpected teachers in all forms.
With My Octopus Teacher, Foster and the team hope to have the Great African Seaforest recognised as an iconic global wilderness that we must protect. To learn more about the work of Sea Change Project and the Great African Seaforest, head to https://seachangeproject.com/
Author: Pascale Hunt
Pascale is a journalist and communications professional focusing on environmental and human rights issues impacting the Asia-Pacific region.