Abhiroop Das
Helmed by Simon Stone, Netflix’s ‘The Woman in Cabin 10’ follows Laura Blacklock, a famed journalist who is invited on a journey aboard a luxury yacht by a businesswoman named Anne Lyngstad. What starts out as a positively spirited event, however, takes a dark turn when the protagonist uncovers a gruesome secret. When no clear path comes forward, she grows paranoid, suspecting everything and everyone around her to be a part of one unescapable conspiracy. This mystery thriller is based on the eponymous novel by Ruth Ware, as well as an adaptation of the novel by Emma Frost. At its heart lies the opulent watercraft, fashionably named Aurora Borealis, that silently observes every happening, while also influencing the narrative tides. To that end, the yacht takes a life of its own and becomes the vessel where multiple perspectives clash.
A Real-Life Superyacht Doubles as Aurora Borealis From The Woman in Cabin 10
As the primary setting for the bulk of the movie, the luxury yacht known as Aurora Borealis becomes witness to several hairpin bends in the narrative. While the yacht shares its name with a real-life superyacht, Amels 220 Aurora Borealis, the rendition presented in the film is fictional in nature, originally penned by writer Ruth Bare, and adapted for the screen by Joe Shrapnel, Anna Waterhouse, and Simon Stone. Unlike its real-life counterpart, which was designed by a company known as Amels Yachting, based in the Netherlands, the watercraft in the movie is a Norwegian creation. In reality, the yacht sequences were mainly filmed using a superyacht known as Savannah as the base, grounding Aurora Borealis with a realistic portrayal. Created by Feadship in 2015, the Savannah is famous for being the world’s first hybrid superyacht, capable of running on both diesel and battery.
At a length of nearly 84 meters, Savannah is also one of the largest luxury yachts ever designed and boasts a blend of high-tech engineering and grandeur. As the movie goes on, many of the watercraft’s most stand-out features make an appearance, such as its expansive decks and automated swimming pool systems. All of these elements not only add to the ambiance but also directly affect the narrative, giving the yacht more layers and unraveling each central plot thread. To that end, we also get a glimpse into its inner workings, with the characters charting every corner of the yacht in an attempt to uncover the truth, making the structure of the watercraft all the more relevant.
Aurora Borealis is Brought to Life By a Rich Filming Experience
In a conversation with Global News, director Simon Stone commented on the idea of the yacht morphing alongside the characters, stating, “it transforms (…) the structure itself transforms from being something incredibly aspirational, into a kind of prison. I think the benefit of shooting the actual thing is that you get that movement.” Actor Keira Knightley, who essays the role of Laura Blacklock in the movie, recalled her experience filming on board the Savannah while talking to Global News, detailing how difficult the process was. She explained that, more often than not, the crew was not allowed to interact with the various elements of the watercraft outside of the predesignated spaces, which made the creative process all the more challenging.
In ‘The Woman in Cabin 10,’ Aurora Borealis ends up serving as a microcosm of society, which in turn brings a brand new perspective into the life and pursuits of the wealthy few. As such, the film’s exploration of the yacht has a layer of social commentary attached to it, likely contributing to its creative origins. Given that superyachts are traditionally a kind of luxury watercraft, it is possible that Aurora Borealis is informed by a composite image of such luxury watercrafts. The name Aurora Borealis itself refers to the phenomenon known as Northern Lights, which potentially connects to the fact that Anne Lyngstad, the owner of the yacht, is Norwegian. As such, the fictional elements associated with this boat directly play into the narrative, giving it an air of realism.
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