What We Can Learn From Octopuses and Filmmakers

Reflective Film Reception to Foster Transformative Processes in Sustainability Education

Abstract

Feature films make transformative educational content experientially accessible by revealing new ways of relating to the world and the self. Thus, My Octopus Teacher (2020) illustrates the concept of the more-than-human world, while Even the Rain (2010) encourages reflection on neocolonial practices and respectful relations with others. Numerous studies show that feature films can portray nature positively and foster human–nature relationships. Yet this transformative potential cannot be directly harnessed for teaching, as film reception and appropriation are highly individual and complex processes shaped by diverse viewing experiences and media-use needs. Building on this, this article develops a theoretical framework for reflective film reception in transformative sustainability education.