"My Octopus Teacher": Film Screening and Sharing | Green Market

About this Programme

We'll begin with a sharing about the weird and wonderful world of the octopus - their alien-like existence, bizarre bodies, and incredible intelligence, as well as the threats they face and the ethics of octopus farming. Equipped with this new knowledge, we'll watch ‘My Octopus Teacher’, an award-winning documentary film that showcases the touching bond between a man and a wild octopus in South Africa and her life over the course of a year, as she sleeps, eats, is attacked by a shark, gives birth, and interacts with her new human friend.

This programme is targetted at a general audience, including teens and those aged 50 and above.

Please note:

This programme may not be suitable for young children due to depictions of animal predatory behaviour and death. Parental discretion is advised. Neither NLB nor the programme facilitators will be responsible for what children view during this programme.

Please note that presentation slides may be available during or after the programme, depending on the programme. Where applicable, only participants who attend the programme can have access to the slides via instructions given during the programme.

About the Facilitators

Naomi loves speaking up for animals and immersing herself in nature. She has just completed a PhD on sharks and stingrays caught by fisheries in Southeast Asia. She now works at Rumah Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Singapore-based family office, Rumah Group. Naomi leads the community-based marine conservation programme at the foundation, which focuses on the protection and restoration of blue carbon sinks in Southeast Asia, and the animals that depend on them. Naomi also serves as a Board member of Singapore animal-advocacy group ACRES.

From scuba diving to doing her bachelor’s thesis on characterizing abandoned, lost, and discarded fishing gear on Singapore’s shorelines, Anya has come to love all things marine! Her focus now is Southeast Asian cephalopods (octopuses, squids, and cuttlefish), a group of animals she became passionate about after learning about them in a university course. She is also as a full-time teaching assistant for the College of Humanities and Sciences and the Department of Biological Sciences at NUS, teaching a variety of courses, ranging from scientific inquiry to animal behaviour and aquatic ecology.

About the Organisation: 

Coastal Natives is made possible by an impassioned community of ocean lovers. We hope to show audiences how incredible the ocean is so that they will want to protect it, and offer a fun platform to learn more about the environment and what we can all do to help. We strongly believe in collective impact and are always on the lookout for creative collaborations and dedicated friends to join our mission! Coastal Natives’ work is proudly supported by Rumah Foundation.

Find out more about Coastal Natives here: https://www.coastalnatives.sg/ 

About Green Market

Green Market is NLB’s annual event that celebrates sustainable living and connects the community to green groups and initiatives they can support. This year’s theme, The Sea-cret Edition, dives deep to explore the wonders of the sea and embrace our interconnections with it, urging understanding and action to safeguard its fragile beauty.

From 8-9 June 2024, come have a whale of a time at Central Public Library. Get hooked on the ocean with our lineup of family-fun programmes, booths, storytellings, digital activities and more, brought to you in collaboration with local blue partners.

Can’t make the date? Join us instead from 25 May for our Green Market Challenge and other leadup programmes at selected libraries, and “wet” your appetite for all things marine.

Explore our collection of Green Market programmes here!  👉👉👉 https://bit.ly/nlbgreeenmarket2024 

Find out more about Green Market here! 👉👉👉 https://go.gov.sg/green-market