Take a look at some photos from the new series “A Small Light.” The eight-part series premieres Monday, May 1 on National Geographic with two back-to-back episodes and will stream next day on Disney+.
Based on an inspiring true story, Miep Gies was young, carefree and opinionated — at a time when opinions got you killed ― when Otto Frank asked her to help hide his family from the Nazis during WWII. Told with a modern sensibility, A SMALL LIGHT shakes the cobwebs off history and makes Miep’s story more relevant than ever, forcing audiences to ask themselves what they would have done in Miep’s shoes; and in modern times, asking if they would have the courage to stand up to hatred. Some stood by, Miep stood up.
Caption: (From left) Nicholas Burns as Mr. Kugler, Sally Messham as Bep, Ian McElhinney as Mr. Kleiman, and Bel Powley as Miep Gies in A SMALL LIGHT. (Credit: National Geographic for Disney/Dusan Martincek)
Here are the episode descriptions for episodes 1 and 2:
“PILOT”
Miep, who believes she’s just a secretary, is asked to hide the Franks and must rise to the occasion. No longer ordinary, her first task is to get a nervous Margot into the secret hiding place in plain view of the Nazis. After giving Margot the strength Miep didn’t even know she had, the Franks are safe and sound behind the walls of the annex. Now she and Jan realize this was the easy part.
Caption: Miep tries on a dress for a special event as Anne, Margot, Mrs. Frank and Mrs. van Pels look on, as seen in A SMALL LIGHT. (Credit: National Geographic for Disney/Dusan Martincek)
“WELCOME TO SWITZERLAND”
Everything seems under control until Miep’s Jewish dentist, Fritz Pfeffer, asks if she knows of a place where he can hide. At first, Miep denies knowing anything and tries to live like she did before the Nazis invaded, but the growing violence she sees on the streets changes her mind. Miep is becoming more and more adamant about helping anyone she can…even if that means finding new and more dangerous ways to feed them all.
