A Life Illuminated | 11 Tahoe Film Fest

A LIFE ILLUMINATED
2025 (USA), 89 minutes

Directed by: Tasha Van Zandt

Marine biologist Dr. Edie Widder has spent a lifetime exploring the ocean depths, which contain endless secrets. She made headlines for devising the camera system that captured the first footage of a giant squid in its natural habitat. But her greatest passion is studying the occurrence of bioluminescence — the awe-inspiring phenomenon of underwater organisms that produce their own light. Widder first witnessed it for herself on an expedition in the 1980s when she ventured into the ocean twilight zone below the reach of the sun. At the time, women in oceanography were scarce. The sexism was so prevalent that some chauvinistic boat crews considered it bad luck to have a woman at sea. Widder overcame countless obstacles to become renowned in her field and chart a path for the next generation. Filmmaker Tasha Van Zandt tells that backstory while following Widder on a contemporary expedition that she hopes can be a breakthrough for bioluminescence research. She teams with OceanX to use the latest technology of submersible vessels with the goal of capturing bioluminescence on camera like it has never been documented before.

Premiere – Toronto International Film Festival

Incline Village Cinema – December 7 – 3:30pm

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