A Life Illuminated
Tasha Van Zandt / United States / 2025 / European Premiere / 89 min
On an expedition in the deep sea with marine biologist Dr. Edie Widder, who is on a mission to document the luminescent life forms that live in the dark - a sight no one has ever seen on film before.
The depths of the world’s oceans hold many secrets. Number one on the list are the strange, luminescent creatures that live in the deepest darkness and that no human has ever seen on film – until now. Renowned marine biologist Dr. Edie Widder, who was also the first to document the almost mythological giant squid on video, has set out to film the mysterious phenomenon of bioluminescence. And when you finally see what she means, you are in for a sight that you could never have imagined in your wildest dreams.
‘A Life Illuminated’ follows Widder and her dedicated colleagues on their expeditions into the depths. But Tasha Van Zandt’s film is also a fascinating character portrait of a woman who has fought her own battles in an environment where sailors for many years considered it bad luck to even have a woman on board a ship. And then suddenly it’s an uphill struggle to reach the bottom of the ocean. But Widder is a true force of nature with a determination to carry out her scientific plans.