Pippa Ehrlich is an Oscar- and BAFTA-winning filmmaker, journalist, and lifelong ocean advocate whose work explores the powerful connection between people and the natural world. Her storytelling weaves together themes of conservation, healing, responsibility and social justice in the face of a rapidly changing planet. Ehrlich is best known for co-directing and editing the critically acclaimed documentary “My Octopus Teacher,” which captivated global audiences and earned more than 20 international awards — including the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2021. Her filmography also includes “Pangolin: Kulu’s Journey” and “My Mercury.” For nearly 20 years, Ehrlich has been freediving in the Great African Seaforest, an experience that has profoundly shaped her creative vision. She is a co-creator and co-host of “Back to the Water,” a deeply personal podcast project sparked by a period of personal questioning that led her to explore the intersection of ocean connection, social justice and post-Apartheid healing in South Africa. A National Geographic Explorer and 2025 Wayfinder Award recipient, Ehrlich is also a core team member of the Sea Change Project and a member of Netflix's independent Advisory Group of sustainability experts. At the heart of her work is a belief that storytelling can transform our relationship with nature — and remind us that we are part of, not apart from, the living world.

Photo by Thomas Neil