South African documentary My Octopus Teacher nominated for an Oscar

My Octopus Teacher will go up against four other documentaries; Collective, Crip Camp, The Mole Agent and Time.

Directed by Pippa Ehrlich and James Reed, the documentary filmed off the coastline in Simon's Town, Cape Town, follows the unlikely story of unusual and touching friendship that develops between film maker Craig Foster and an octopus.

Director Pippa Ehrlich comments:

We sat there watching it. I think my family was watching it in other parts of South Africa as well. In Hollywood, they have all sorts of prediction lists, and we weren’t on any of them. It’s really a moment I will never forget.

My Octopus Teacher has already received two awards at the Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards (CCDA), the Grand Teton Award at the Jackson Wild Media Awards and the Best Feature Film award at the EarthX film festival.

The 93rd Academy Awards will be held on the 25 April.