Nat Geo's 'A Small Light' Episode 1 Review: Miep and Jan’s sweet love story begins at her first job
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: There are some love stories that are born during harrowing times and leave an indelible mark on history. Such is the story of Miep Gies and her husband, Jan, who met during the former's first job as a typist in an embroidery and pleating workshop. The couple met because Gies did not want to marry her foster brother, and to do that she had to find a job. 'A Small Light' brings to life the terryfying real story of the Holocaust and how Anne Frank's family was saved by Gies' dedication and good heart. Through heartwarming snippets of her life, Gies' story is told in vivid technicolor.
'A Small Light' premiered earlier on Tuesday, May 2. The story of Nazi Germany has been told and retold many times, but this series brings the story of an unsung hero, Gies, to the fore. It was this hero's grit and bravery despite the deadly risks, that have been highlighted in the story.
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A fresh perspective
'A Small Light' does not focus on Frank, and focuses on the other aspects of her story. It is important to note that the production team thought of taking a different route to tell a story about a hero, who only features in the footnotes of 'The Diary of a Young Girl'. The story of Gies was something history buffs, who knew who she was even before the series was announced, were eagerly awaiting. The color scheme and sets of the show transport viewers back to the era the story is set in. The cinematography is stellar and the actors have given exceptional performances. The series starts off slow, but it is through these moments, Gies' inspirational story is told.
Stirring and heartbreaking
The story is quite sad, but it's these small moments of kindness and humanity that take away the pain that comes from witnessing one of the biggest genocides in history and how people persevered through it all. Episode 1 highlights the life of Gies and establishes her as the main character of the story, while revealing parts of her life, including her meeting with her husband, Jan, at her very first job, how they fell in love instantly and building a bond that withstood the test of time.