Adapted from Anthony Doer’s Pulitzer Prize-winning eponymous novel, the upcoming Netflix limited series All the Light We Cannot See will be helmed by Stranger Things producer Shawn Levy.
Levy, who is known for his brilliant work on the sets of Stranger Things and Night at the Museum franchise, alongside The Adam Project, will be working with Steven Knight. Knight is known for his acclaimed BAFTA-winning show Peaky Blinders and the immigrant thriller film Dirty Pretty Things and will be adapting the project.
Since the film cast a blind girl named Aria Mia Loberti in the lead, it has already been showered with praise by disability groups’ rights activists. Levy talked about how they “searched the world and reviewed thousands of auditions” to find the perfect fit for the role, never imagining casting “someone who has not only never acted professionally but never auditioned before.”
Talking about what led them to cast Loberti, he said that their meeting was “a jaw-drop moment” given the latter’s talent and ability as “both a natural performer and an advocate for disability.” Levy concluded, “I can’t wait to tell this beautiful story with her at the centre.”
The film is already in production and has attracted quite the attention of fans who cannot wait to witness a different approach to the horrors of war. Here is everything we know about All the Light We Cannot See:
Everything we know about Mark Ruffalo film ‘All the Light we Cannot See’
What is the plot of All the Light We Cannot See?
Adapted from Anthony Doer’s novel, the film will revolve around a blind teenager named Marie-Laurie who will see herself fighting for survival in Nazi-occupied France with a German soldier named Werner.
Set during the devastation and despair of the Second World War, the series will also focus on the brutalities and fatalities of warfare.
To follow a more detailed synopsis of Doer’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, Marie-Laurie and her father, a worker at the Museum of Natural History, flee to Saint-Malo with one of the most dangerous and valuable jewels from the museum. Soon, her life gets entwined with Wener’s as the author “illuminates the ways, against all odds, people try to be good to one another”.
How many episodes will All the Light We Cannot See have?
All the Light We Cannot See is a limited series that will have four 60-minute episodes.
Who are the cast members of All the Light We Cannot See?
Netflix began searching for the leading cast member while announcing in their casting call that they were looking to cast a blind individual or someone with low vision as Marie-Laure.
In December 2021 blind student Aria Mia Loberti was cast in the role. Although Loberti has no formal training in acting, Steven Knight was incredibly impressed by the depth she managed to bring to her character. This move has been welcomed by disability rights groups all over the world who have praised the film and Netflix for their inclusivity.
Steven Knight called her “amazing” and said that they are “fortunate” to have cast someone who is “born with it”.
Currently a PhD student in rhetoric at Penn State University as US-UK Fulbright scholar, Loberti spoke about her condition. She said, “I have a rare and severe form of a genetic eye condition called achromatopsia. As a result, I’m completely blind in some environments and have a minimal, variable residual vision in others.”
Talking about Doer’s masterpiece, she expressed her immense gratitude for this opportunity while describing the book as an “intricately crafted story of hope, forgiveness, power and resilience.”
Alongside Loberti, Mark Ruffalo has been cast as Daniel Le-Blanc, Marie-Laure’s father. Described as compassionate, clever and wise, Daniel is a doting father who is trying to protect his daughter while granting her the freedom she craves. He tries hard to protect the secret gem of the museum from the Nazis.
Hugh Laurie will appear as his reticent, reclusive and bizarre brother Etienne who is a war veteran. Suffering from severe PTSD, Etienne lives in a small house on the coast and records radio broadcasts in secret as a part of the infamous French resistance.
Werner Pfennig will be portrayed by Louis Hofmann. Louis was previously seen as Jonas Kahnwald in Netflix’s super-hit German series Dark. As Werner, he will play the role of a specialist who detects radio frequencies.
The rest of the cast includes Lars Eidinger as a terminally ill Nazi officer in search of a legendary gem, Pascal Ulli as Dr Heinrich and Nell Sutton as the younger version of Loberti.
What is the production status of All the Light We Cannot See?
Filming for All the Light We Cannot See began in Europe on March 14th, 2022, and will continue until July 22nd, 2022. While filming is scheduled to take place mostly in Berlin, parts of it will also be filmed extensively in Hungary.
When is the release date for All the Light We Cannot See?
Netflix has not yet announced a specific release date for All the Light We Cannot See. The film might release sometime in 2023.
