by Thinus Ferreira
The South African film, My Octopus Teacher that was in the running for an Oscar statuette at the 93rd Academy Awards made history on Sunday night when it won its category of Best Documentary Feature on Sunday night and became the first-ever South African documentary film to win an Oscar.
My Octopus Teacher had already won 20 international awards, including Best Documentary at the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs) and Producers Guild of America Awards.
Pippa Ehrlich, co-director said that she was "utterly overwhelmed" with "an honour we never dreamed possible".
"I know there are many South Africans awake watching right now. In many ways this really is a tiny, personal story that played out in a sea forest at the very tip of Africa but on a more universal level I hope that it provided a glimpse of a different type of relationship between human beings and the natural world."
Cyril Ramaphosa, South Africa's president, in a personal letter sent before this year's Oscars, congratulated the production team of My Octopus Teacher, saying it was "documentary storytelling at its best, with a deeply resonant conservation message".
"The team should be justifiably proud, as are we, that My Octopus Teacher, has been nominated in the Best Documentary category for this year's Academy Awards - a first-ever for a South African documentary".
Filmmaker Craig foster who appears in the film and is seen building a relationship with a common octopus while diving near his home in False Bay, said that "the Academy Award elevates the great African Seaforest and surrounding ocean of South Africa into global iconic status".
"This is excellent news for us because it underlines what we have been aiming for: to show the world that we are sitting on a biodiversity treasure trove that is deeply worthy of protection."
"What has been most exciting for us as an organisation has been the feedback. We have received thousands of messages from people around the world."
"Many have started diving, studying marine sciences or using My Octopus Teacher as a tool in mental health workshops, and in discussions around emotional ecology and deep nature connection. We wanted to showcase this wonderful ecosystem, the great African Seaforest, to the world, and we have succeeded."
