Kriti Mehrotra
With Netflix’s ‘Into the Deep’ delving into the harrowing tale of Danish inventor-entrepreneur turned convicted murderer Peter Madsen, we get a complete insight into the duality of human nature. After all, this documentary charts every aspect of not just his ambitions as well as rivalries but also the way he upended several lives by slaying a journalist onboard his submarine back in 2017. So now, if you simply wish to learn more about the filmmaker behind it — Emma Sullivan, with a specific emphasis on both her goals and her current standing — we’ve got the crucial details for you.
Who is Emma Sullivan?
It was reportedly in early 2016 when Emma came across Peter for the first time while merely researching for a new project, unaware that it would soon propel her down a path unlike any other. She was actually only looking to create an observational film on the tinkerer’s efforts to build successful, homemade, crowd-funded rockets and submarines, yet it naturally evolved into true crime. That’s because a year into filming, in August 2017, the local Danish celebrity took Swedish journalist Kim Wall on a trip in one of his underwater crafts, just to kill her for seemingly no reason at all.
Emma hence turned the focus from Peter to the people around him — friends, interns, as well as volunteers at his Rocket Madsen Space Lab (RML) — to give them a voice as his invisible victims. They are the individuals who’d trusted his charming, eccentric self to achieve wonders, only to be manipulated and abused by his twisted lies, something no one saw coming despite his intensity. The critically acclaimed Australian writer-director has since admitted this was “an organic thing” to happen because although she “did not set out to do a crime story… In following the events, the story became about them — about us essentially.”
In a press release, Emma added, “This is a very personal story to me. When I started this project, I met a group of people, who wanted to be part of something positive with someone they admired at the helm. But then the unbearable happened. When you are suddenly pulled into such a nightmare, it changes your life forever. The film is a testimony of the people who were close to Madsen as they slowly grasp the true nature of the man and the terrible crimes he committed.” There’s a vulnerability within this group and within herself, she told The Golden Globes following the movie’s Sundance premiere, which should never be overlooked.
Where is Emma Sullivan Now?
Since Emma had been documenting Peter’s journey before the incident even occurred, she’d inadvertently managed to capture some evidence, which actually proved instrumental in his 2018 conviction. Therefore, she is glad her work made and continues to make a difference in more ways than one, especially as it also shines a light upon the way such a matter can make those closest to it feel culpable. “You can even feel guilty for the events that have occurred and that is extremely isolating,” she once said. “You can spiral into depression and PTSD. Those who are around you, they help you, but they cannot quite understand your unique experience.”
Coming to her whereabouts, from what we can tell, Emma continues to primarily reside in her homeland of Australia at the moment, where she serves as a proud member of the entertainment industry. She honestly prefers to keep her personal life well away from the spotlight, yet we do know her professional career has been thriving from the moment she made her debut in the early 2010s. Some of her credits include ‘The Last Waltz’ (2011) as a second assistant director, ‘Crawlspace’ (2012) as a production assistant, ‘Goodnight Sweetheart’ (2015) in the arts/props department, and ‘Fuur’ (2017) as a writer, director, and producer.
Read More: Where is RML Flight Director Christoffer Meyer Now?
