A Golden Year For An Octopus!
The Academy Award nominations were announced today, and while there are many great films and Artists nominated – both in front of and behind the camera – it’s the category of Best Feature Documentary that makes me so happy this morning – all because of a brilliant film about a wise Octopus!
“My Octopus Teacher” is a Netflix Original documentary film directed by Pippa Ehrlich and James Reed, which documents a year spent by filmmaker Craig Foster forging a relationship with a wild common octopus in a South African kelp forest.
Yes, a friendship!
I love this film: it captures on camera a friendship between Foster and a large Octopus he encounters on one of his snorkeling adventures…
Check out the trailer:
This is a beautiful film: funny, informative, heartwarming and heartbreaking in equal measure – it does what any great documentary should do: it makes you care about the subject in the film, and about larger issues as well…
Bravo to the creative team behind this fascinating and moving documentary – one of five nominated this year for the Academy Award!
Here is the entire list of nominees:
Documentary Feature
Collective
Alexander Nanau and Bianca Oana
Crip Camp
Nicole Newnham, Jim LeBrecht and Sara Bolder
The Mole Agent
Maite Alberdi and Marcela Santibáñez
My Octopus Teacher
Pippa Ehrlich, James Reed and Craig Foster
Time
Garrett Bradley, Lauren Domino and Kellen Quinn
Speaking Of Oscar nominations:
A Record-Breaking Year For Women Behind The Camera!
That’s right, a long overdue milestone was achieved this morning – let’s begin with this terrific film.
“Nomadland” was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture!
The film was directed by Chloé Zhao, who also wrote, edited, and co-produced. Zhao was nominated in ALL of those categories, so is herself up for 4 Oscars!
An Oscar First!
Zhao is one of two women nominated in the Best Directing category – a long long overdue first for the Academy. It is the first time in history that two women are nominated in this category in the same year.
You can see more about “Nomadland” by clicking on my story here:
The other nominee for Best Director is Emerald Fennell, who directed “Promising Young Woman”, which also scored a Best Picture nomination. Fennell is also nominated for Best Original Screenplay as well!
You may recognize Fennell for her acting work at Camilla Parker Bowles in season 4 of “The crown.”
Bravo to her for her three Oscar nominations as well!
If “The Octopus Teacher” made you crave a day at the beach, why not hit a local Aquarium instead?
I hung out with the giant Squid once at Monterey’s incredible Aquarium, and if you click on my story here, you can see more incredible creatures of the sea!
If you like these stories, PLEASE CLICK THE “LIKE” BUTTON BELOW SO I KNOW!
Better yet, why not sign up to receive emails whenever I post? It’s easy to do, I do NOT collect any information about you at all, there are absolutely NO ads of any kind, just stories about movies, music, books, food, travel and pop culture…
You can sign up by clicking on my blog here and see the note on the right!
https://atomic-temporary-30348597.wpcomstaging.com
Sign up for a daily hit of social media, and let me know if you see any of these terrific films!
Categories: Academy Awards, Art, Awards, Books / Media, Cult Movies, documentary films, Exotic Travel, Great Films, Hollywood, Memoirs, Movies, nature, Pop Culture, Talent/Celebrities, Travel, Travel Adventures, Travel Memoir
johnrieber 
Just wow… the octopus teacher trailer…It is also lovely to see female nominees…Looking forward to the results although normally I don’t take too much notice…Great post, John 🙂 x
LikeLike
It’s interesting because one of the people in my writing group has been penning a story about a scientist who forges a unique relationship with an octopus. At one point, the octopus saves her life. She worked with marine animals, so it isn’t as farfetched as it sounds. I knew they were intelligent animals, but some of the research about them is astonishing. By the way, I’ve been to the Monterey Aquarium several times. It’s a must-see for those who have never been there.
LikeLike
i just saw this a few weeks ago, and loved every. minute of it! he clearly fell in love with the octopus and how cool the ending
LikeLike
I don’t pay much attention to The Oscars these days. Too many ‘political’ nominations, because of age, colour, or gender. But I did watch them live from London on the lunchtime news, leaving me wondering how few of the nominees I knew that well, and including the two presenters, who I had never seen before. (As far as I know.)
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pete, in a year when so few films were “released”, many asked why they even decided to hold the awards…but they are going to…I have seen several of the films and “The Trial Of The Chicago 7”, “Nomadland” and “Mank” are certainly worth seeing…
LikeLiked by 1 person
I do fancy ‘Mank’, it has to be said. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
It seems to be headed for the same fate as “1917” was – lots of nominations but less Oscar glory at the awards…it hasn’t won any top awards yet, just always nominated! Fincher has always had that relationship with the Academy it seems!
LikeLiked by 1 person
The style of the film definitely appeals to me, John. 🙂
LikeLike
Aaaah, so that’s what it is! I did an online pub quiz with my folks last week and there was a question that involved ‘My Octopus Teacher’ and I’d never heard of it. I thought it was made up nonsense or some obscure film from decades ago. I’d at least heard of Nomadland and the praise it’s been getting. That’s on my to-watch list! xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s really terrific and inspiring!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m not usually one to watch documentaries but both look amazing. Thanks for these recommendations
LikeLike
Both these films look incredible!
LikeLike