A Small Light has arrived on television to tell the story of Miep Gies, known to history from The Diary of Anne Frank. The National Geographic series (also available streaming via Hulu subscription and Disney+ subscription) approaches the historical figures in the diary from a unique angle, as part of what co-showrunner Joan Rater described as a desire to “take the cobwebs [and] the historical artifice off the story.” Rater, who also co-created, executive produced, and wrote for A Small Light, explained to CinemaBlend the challenges of finding joy in an infamously tragic story, despite many viewers likely knowing how it ends for many of the characters.
Joan Rater came to A Small Light after multi-season runs on shows including Grey’s Anatomy and Madam Secretary, with new series Fire Country going strong after an early renewal on CBS. When she spoke with CinemaBlend at SCAD TVfest in Atlanta earlier this year, I asked what it was like for her to plan a full storyline for the limited series based on a true story as opposed to an ongoing show. Rater explained what inspired her from Anne Frank's diary:
