Is 'A Small Light' on National Geographic historically accurate?

'A Small Light' unfolds during the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam and comes with an interesting perspective to an oft-told story
PUBLISHED MAY 1, 2023
Bel Powley plays Miep Gies in 'A Small Light' (IMDb, YouTube/Disney+)
Bel Powley plays Miep Gies in 'A Small Light' (IMDb, YouTube/Disney+)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Courage is a big word. It sums up many historical events that wouldn't have happened if not for that little speck of emotion. One of the many stories about courage is the story of Anne Frank. Her story is as inspiring as her diary and offers many lessons to this era as well.

The upcoming drama 'A Small Light' by National Geographic is set during the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam and deals with the inspiring story of Anne Frank and her family.  

ALSO READ

'A Small Light': Release date and where to watch mini-series

‘Secrets of the Elephants’: Release date and how to watch TV mini series

Us vs them

National Geographic’s chilling biographical drama 'A Small Light' isn't about non-thinkers or people who didn't care about humanity. Even in the midst of the Holocaust, there were still some who believed in kindness and looked for ways to help those being targeted, to shine a small light in the darkest of nights. 'A Small Light' is a metaphor for hope, for all those times when people sat in the darkness and counted their last days, until that small ray of light arrived. What makes 'A Small Light' different is that it assumes a different perspective, one that isn't centered around the Franks. The series focuses on a woman and a network of everyday saviors who are only found in the footnotes of history, if not entirely forgotten.

Is 'A Small Light' historically accurate?

Although the series' foundation is the story of Anne Frank, it does occasionally stray from known historical facts. The series fictionalizes the characters from Otto Frank’s Opekta business and takes away the attention from a key character that helped Otto Frank's family go into hiding. Bep Voskuijl was the one who helped Anne and her family, but her story has been sidelined in the series. Instead, the tale of Miep Gies, who also helped Otto's family, gets more focus. Bep was the key character, but both Bep and Miep were the definition of courage and risked it all to do the right thing. 

'A Small Light' will be available to watch exclusively on National Geographic channel.

GET THE BIGGEST ENTERTAINMENT STORIES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

Jamie Lee Curtis, who plays Carmy and Natalie's mother in the hit drama, recently made a revelation about the future of the show
2 hours ago
The shocking Season 3 finale changed everything as Van Heidt found a new home for his spirit
3 hours ago
'The Four Seasons' 1 ended on a cliffhanger as Anne discovered that Ginny is pregnant with her ex-husband Nick's child
5 hours ago
Saeson 2 season features filming locations in Spain, and will adapt the novella 'The Sworn Sword'.
15 hours ago
'The Orville' creator and actor Seth MacFarlane talked about the future of the series after Season 3 was released in 2022.
16 hours ago
'RJ Decker' is based on the 1987 novel 'Double Whammy' written by author Carl Hiaasen and features Scott Speedman as an ex-con.
18 hours ago
A full-length feature Season 3 vrooms in on March 5 on Prime Video, with seasons 1 and 2 available to watch on the streamer as well.
20 hours ago
Based on the 'Life is Strange' franchise, the series was written by Charlie Covill and announced in development at the streamer last year.
21 hours ago
The 'Baywatch' reboot will see Captain Hobie Buchannon’s daughter make an appearance, adding to the legacy of the iconic lifeguard family
23 hours ago
The latest episode sees things going well between Karadec and Lucia, but viewers wonder if there's a twist around the corner
23 hours ago