TIFF 2025: Deep Sea Exploration Doc A LIFE ILLUMINATED from the Producers of FIRE OF LOVE

A LIFE ILLUMINATED

A film by Tasha Van Zandt

Exec Produced by: Alison Klayman, Ray Dalio, Shari Sant, Shannon O’Leary Joy, Mark Dalio, Vincent Pieribone

Produced by: Tasha Van Zandt, Sebastian Zeck, Jessica Harrop, Kathryn Everett

Featuring Dr. Edie Widder

WORLD PREMIERE

TIFF Screenings: 

WORLD PREMIERE: Sunday, September 7^th @7PM- Scotiabank

P&I Screening: Monday, September 8^th at 9:30AM - Scotiabank

Public Screening #2: Monday, September 8^th at 9:40PM - Scotiabank

Public Screening #3: Saturday, September 13^th at 3:15pm- TIFF Lightbox

After a lifetime of unveiling the deep sea’s most elusive secrets, pioneering marine biologist Dr. Edie Widder descends 3,300 feet into the ocean's depths on her most groundbreaking mission yet: to capture a bioluminescent phenomenon that could transform our understanding of life on Earth.

Synopsis: In A LIFE ILLUMINATED, marine biologist Dr. Edie Widder embarks on a groundbreaking journey to unveil the mysterious light of bioluminescence - a phenomenon that allows life to communicate in the darkness of the ocean’s depths. As one of the first women in her field, Edie transformed our understanding of the deep sea - once perceived as a dark and empty void, into a vibrant world filled with life and light. Known for being the first person in history to film bioluminescence in the deep sea, as well as capturing the first footage of the elusive giant squid in its natural habitat, she has transformed the world's view of our oceans. 

Now, she embarks on her most daring expedition yet: a descent 3,300 feet beneath the ocean’s surface to document a mysterious bioluminescent phenomenon she has pursued her entire life - one that could forever change how we understand life on Earth. Blending cinematic vérité footage from her journey into the deep with never-before-seen archives from her lifetime of expeditions, the film captures Edie’s quest to reveal the profound beauty of bioluminescence while emphasizing the urgent need to protect the fragile ecosystems of the deep sea.

Tasha Van Zandt and Dr. Edie Widder are available for select interviews

United States of America | 2025 | 89m | English