Disney+ ordered a National Geographic limited series, A Small Light, based on the well-known story of the Dutch woman who gave shelter to Anne Frank and her family for more than two years during World War II, according to Deadline. The woman, Miep Gies, found Anne’s diary, and her father later had it published. It is now one of the most widely-known accounts of the Holocaust.
The series will follow Miep, who took in her boss – Otto Frank – and his family when he asked to hide them from the Nazis. Casting for the three main characters – Miep, her husband Jan, and Otto, is currently underway. The project hails from Joan Rater (Grey’s Anatomy), Tony Phelan (Grey’s Anatomy), and Susanna Fogel (The Flight Attendant).
Miep, renowned for her heroism and humility, died in 2010 at the age of 100 and inspired the name of the upcoming limited series in an interview in the latter half of her life. “I don’t like being called a hero because no one should ever think you have to be special to help others,” she said via Deadline. “Even an ordinary secretary or a housewife or a teenager can turn on a small light in a dark room.”
A Small Light is expected to release seven episodes, and filming will initiate in Europe within the next few months.