Triumph of the Heart (2025) Movie Script
1
Hello there,
I'm Anthony D'Ambrosio
the director of
'Triumph of the Heart'.
Before we start, I'd like to
thank you, sincerely,
from the bottom of my heart, for
supporting our efforts
in telling the stories
of our saints.
Saint Maximilian Kolbe himself
had the desire to
share the Gospel
through media and through film
and so we are so thrilled to
be following in his footsteps.
Making a film takes
millions of dollars
and many years to complete.
And so after this movie
we'll ask if you're moved,
please consider
becoming a patron
of our work, to catalyze
a new renaissance
of faith-filled filmmaking.
Now, as a friendly reminder
this streaming platform is for
single household families
and viewing only.
It's not for group screenings
or churches, so if you're
with a church, a group
over 20 people
please, visit our website,
triumphoftheheart.com
to search for a way
to get a license.
Finally, I'd like to invite you
to join me in taking a
moment of silence
to honor Saint Maximilian Kolbe
and those who lost their
lives in Auschwitz.
And to prepare your
own heart for
Whatever God wants to speak
to you through this film.
Now, it is my honor
to share with you
Saint Maximilian Kolbe's
triumph of the heart.
- Come on, come on.
Come on.
Catch me.
Catch me.
Okay.
Then the damsel calls out in
her moment of greatest need,
and just then who does she see?
Who?
- Andrzej the hussar.
He gallops in on his
fine steed, armor blazing
in the morning sun,
feathery wings roaring,
and he yells at the
Ottoman in the black mask,
"Who art thou that threatens
this fair maiden so?
Arm thyself, scoundrel,
and prepare to do battle,
if ye dare."
- Come here and I will put
you down like the dog you are.
- Then Andrzej, our
hero, plunges his sword
to the very hilt through
the Ottoman's chest.
- No, he only thinks he does.
In fact, he's a very poor
swordsman and he trips,
lands on his back.
No.
That's not how the story goes.
- If they don't find him,
then you go to the front.
- He couldn't have got out.
His shoes were in the barracks.
Who escapes without their shoes?
They just haven't found him yet.
- You know the rules.
Just as your Polish
brother did before he fled.
I will choose 10
of you to starve
until the missing prisoner
is found or until death.
Your brother traded
your lives for his.
What does this tell you?
This backbiting is your nature.
Thank you.
No!
This one.
- Freddy!
- Don't take him!
- You want to die that badly?
Hm?
- Forward!
Hands.
- Forward!
No, not me!
- No, please, please!
- No, please, I've got a wife.
I've got children! No!
No!
Please, don't! No!
- Father, Father!
Father,
we can't find him.
He is gone.
They will find him.
- Stop.
Give it back to him.
- He needs it more.
- You can't save us.
Get back in line!
Halt!
I can take his place.
I can take his place.
He has children and a wife.
I'm a Catholic priest.
- Very well, sir.
You have proved nothing.
Welcome.
Three marks say
they last at least four days.
Hm, maybe three days.
- Taken.
A parting gift from
Fritzsch for a quick death.
Auf Wiedersehen.
- You bastards!
You cowards!
You German freaks!
You aren't even men
- Stop!
- you pieces of shit!
- Stop!
- You carry on like that
they will throw another one
in to die with us.
I'm telling you to
save your breath!
- Who is the enemy here?
Our brother Poles?
Go on, kill each other.
That's exactly what
the Germans want.
- Most of you are barely
off the death train.
You haven't seen what
happens to a man
when he starves, have you?
We will lose our minds.
And there's nothing dignified
about this death, nothing.
- The man that they dragged out,
something bit him.
- We were assigned
on duty here once.
We took the bodies
out of this cell
to the crematory and it was...
- And what?
- They were covered
by bite marks.
They did it to each other.
- You've heard what's in store.
We could end it together.
- That's temptation
from the serpent.
Don't listen to him.
We must hold on to our hope.
- Hope?
Hope?
Spoken like a priest
with soft hands.
Hope.
- I'd rather go out
on my own terms.
I don't think I could.
- My friend, if dignity
is what you want,
you won't find it
by taking your life.
Let the men make
their own decisions, Father.
- I'm a coward.
I wasn't before...
- ...this place.
Just give it a few more days,
and it will come easier.
- I'm sorry they threw
you in here with me.
One of us is bad enough but...
God...
can you believe we
made it through d
just to bite it here
in this shit hole?
Albert?
We are all going
to die in here.
- One, two, one, two.
Okay.
One, two, one, two.
Harder. Stronger.
Left, right, left, right.
Faster, faster.
Good, good.
One, two, one, two.
One, two.
Come on, come on.
Good.
Well done.
Well done.
Now, Karl...
...do you know what this is?
A Reichsmark.
- No.
Today it is an Olympic medal.
My father gave it
to me after one
of my matches when
I was a boy like you.
We were not close
like you and I,
but he taught me to be strong.
He said to be an
Olympian you can't
let anybody stand in your way.
Not even your own father.
Here.
Put it in your pocket.
I love you, Papa.
Strength is a choice, Karl.
Come on.
Gisela, are you a princess?
- Yes, Daddy.
- He did so good today.
- Prisoner 16670.
He ran one of the largest papers
and radio stations in Poland.
Some German blood
in him, turns out.
Can't imagine why you are
curious about a dead Pole.
I know you can't imagine, Baer.
What are we here to do, hm?
To kill?
No.
We are here to break
the will of Poland
so the Reich may
reset the bone.
That is why I do what I do.
Yes, sir.
Don't yes me like an adolescent.
I want to watch this
priest's will to live break.
When he degrades
himself we'll spread
the story of his
demise across Poland.
- In the meantime we must...
stamp out any show of spirit his
little act might have inspired.
Go and devise one
of your sick jokes,
perhaps with the
women of the camp.
Make sure he hears
it through his window.
- Dismissed.
- If we are to die together,
I suppose we should at least
know each other's names.
I'm Maximilian.
My given name's Raymond.
- God, does anyone not
know who he is already?
The man with the magazine!
How much good did
that do for Poland, huh?
Well?
It landed you here, Priest.
It did that much.
What brought you here?
- Workers' Party.
I don't suppose you ever
met one of us up close?
- Our differences
are forgotten here.
We are just Poles in the end.
- There's so much
you don't know.
- Corporal Freddy
Kowalczyk, at your service.
This is Albert.
He talks like he is smarter
than us because he is.
Saved my life more
than once in d.
Saved lots of us.
All the good that did.
- Peter.
- Hercel.
Go on.
This is Chaim.
You must forgive him.
The young have so much more
to grieve than the rest of us.
He was one of my
students before this.
- You were a teacher?
- Science. Torah.
A communist,
a Catholic and a Jew dying
together in the same room.
Where's the punchline?
Brothers...
we are dying, yes,
but we don't have
to die like animals.
We can die as men if
we fix our eyes on God.
- God is dead.
They killed him in
the first bombing.
Let's just get it over with.
Killing yourself is
just another murder.
- You killed yourself when
you came into this cell.
What?
Are we men or are we cattle?
I say no.
We have our voices.
These are all the
weapons we need
to make our last days count.
- No one cares what we do now.
We are erased from history.
Life is meaningless.
I care.
I do.
Listen, I'm founding a militia.
There is no pay but it
could upset some Germans.
We will pray for the camp,
until we can't pray anymore.
We have nine spots open.
Who'd like to join?
- What hope can I give them?
You stripped
everything from Job,
and when he cried out,
you only answered
with another question.
Where were you,
son of man,
when I set the world
on its foundations?
Holy Mother,
you called me here.
Give me the words they need.
- Words are not enough.
Words are not enough.
Where's Papa?
- It's okay, Mama is here.
Mama is here,
it's okay, sweetie.
It's okay. I'm here now.
- Hail Holy Queen
Don't worry.
- Hail Holy Queen
Don't worry, honey.
Mother of Mercy,
Hail our life, our
sweetness and our hope.
To you do we cry,
Poor banished
children of Eve.
To you do we
send up our sighs,
Mourning and weeping
In this vale of tears.
- Rat!
Rat!
- Where? Rat?
Damn it.
- You dirty
good-for-nothing gypsy!
- You spent more
water than you gained.
- Please!
This could be the
last sleep of my life.
Can we have peace?
- They are at least
going to give us water?
Aren't they?
Hail, Holy Queen
Mother of Mercy
What is this horrible noise?
Lullaby.
My mother sang it to us.
- I wish your mother had passed
on her singing voice to you too.
Hail our life
Our sweetness and our hope
- What?
My grandmother
sang it to me, too.
Don't judge a book by its cover.
I sang first chair in
Cathedral Boys' Choir.
Sang like an angel, too.
To you do we cry
Poor banished
children of Eve
To you do we
send up our sighs
Mourning and weeping
In this vale of tears
Turn then most
gracious advocate
Thine eyes of
mercy towards us
- Karl, Karl.
Please.
- Ministry of Propaganda.
Can you imagine?
Yes.
- Heil Hitler.
Heil Hitler.
- Ah, Herr Minister.
I've heard of a
position for us in Berlin.
And I've
heard of this game you are
you are playing with a priest.
When
will you have a story for us?
No more than a week.
Hm.
If you turn him into a martyr,
you might
want to look into a heavier coat
because
you'll be headed to Russia
not to Berlin.
It's all in hand.
- If you cannot sleep,
you could at least
tell us your stories.
I'll be happy to hear
your confession.
They've come for me!
They're here for me!
- Chaim, wake up.
- Oh, thank God.
Have you spoken to
the Office of Workers?
Chaim, wake up.
I think we have a dead one.
Get up!
- I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
No!
No, no!
No, no!
- They truly are dogs.
- Maximilian!
You came!
Did the Japanese not feed you?
Come.
Have you met Aleksy, the new
benefactor of our cathedral?
- Kolbe, when you two finish
I would like to talk to you
about putting in a good word
for the cause in your paper.
- Maximilian, why don't
we speak in my office?
- Before you go, a small memento
of our party's
appreciation for your work.
No need to thank me.
We'll talk after, huh?
Germany or
Russia will invade again soon.
This is
nothing new for Poland.
- And at that point your paper
will not be what
our people need.
- Do you object?
- To your politics?
Of course not.
But answer me this.
Why do fascists and communists
spring up like grass
from every crack in
Warsaw's pavement,
despite all the good
work that you do?
This is not a
rhetorical question.
I'd like to hear your answer.
- Our church has
grown too comfortable.
- No, modern man is isolated.
He's ravenous to
belong to something.
Admit it, my friend,
our words are not enough now.
Stay in Poland.
Let them feel your presence.
Let them see your love.
- We write of God's
love in every paper.
- Yes, but you seem to forget
that the Word became
a man, not a magazine.
- When we were
young friars in seminary,
we thought it would be good to
try and fast for all of Lent.
We made it two
weeks, just water.
But we found the most unexpected
comfort during that time.
- Here comes the sermon.
- At dinner time we used to sit
up in our beds and talk
about our last meal.
I always chose my
mother's kotlet schabowy,
with homemade
bread with salted butter.
- Oh, that is torture.
- Chicken braised with
French burgundy wine,
with speckgrieben, lardons,
with mushrooms and garlic.
You're a man of fine taste.
Were you a chef?
No.
My...
My partner was.
- Before I left for Cambridge,
my girl Margaret said I needed
a proper introduction
to English tea.
She made me the
most perfect scones.
Yeah, I would have those
with English tea and bacon.
- My mother's milk.
- What?
- Cows.
My mother raised milk cows.
You thought I meant...
No.
No.
I can't think anymore.
- I don't think I will...
be able to be with
you all much longer.
- Whatever is on the other side,
save us some beer.
- Besides, if they don't
give us water tonight,
we're all following you.
- Wouldn't that be a
sight for sore eyes?
All of us arriving at the
Pearly Gates together at once
like a group of scoundrels
at a bar looking for a cold one?
- In the past months
I have seen...
...noble men
lose their humanity.
I could not remember
that there was any goodness
left in the world.
And then
what he did yesterday
made me remember.
You...
You've got chutzpah, Father.
- Maximilian, I may not
have another evening left,
but I would very much
like to join your militia.
- What do you say, Max?
You are welcome.
- Then I am at peace.
Hercel...
can we pray together?
With a priest?
Yes.
- Into death, and beyond it.
- Into death, and beyond it.
Jonas, sing with me.
- Albert, please, please!
Please don't, don't leave me!
Don't leave me, Albert!
Stupid!
- Rat!
No sleep?
No.
I wish we could
have just one drink.
- I wish we could
have just one cigarette.
- You smoke?
- Never.
But now would be a good
time to start, wouldn't it?
Thanks.
My father would have killed me
if he saw me with
this cigarette, really.
- I can see where you get it.
Can I ask you a question?
- Sure.
- What is it like to have people
know you for your writing?
- It's overrated.
- I doubt that.
I had a novel that
was almost done.
I was going to add my name
to the annals of history
beside the greats like...
Mickiewicz.
With a street to
be named after me
right next to Chopin Street.
- Why did you leave?
- The news.
When they came on the radio
and said that Germany had
invaded I was with Margaret.
She was better than me.
Beautiful, pure.
I wanted to win honor
and return as a hero,
as someone worthy of her.
- It's good to stand
for something.
- It was an illusion.
The story they tell
to young men like me
to get them to leave their women
and bleed out on charred fields.
I could be a coward.
And be back with
Margaret right now,
holding her in my arms.
And now I don't even
get to say goodbye.
- You will see her again.
If they find the escaped
man or if not...
in Heaven.
- I wonder,
where have you been
these past two years
to believe in heaven or God?
Certainly you couldn't have
been living in this world.
The world of starvation and
children dying in a cage,
the strong win, the weak die.
Here to live you have to steal
a bowl of soup
from someone else.
- I understand you.
And you don't think
I have anger, Albert?
My life's work now is ash.
The Poland I loved is
seduced and enslaved,
just when she frees
herself from Russia
we are invaded by Germany.
Has God abandoned us?
- You doubt?
- My God, my God, why
have you abandoned me?
You know who said that?
I'm just grateful
that I have a Savior
who came to be with
me in my suffering.
- Oh my God.
It's raining.
What,
what, what, what?
- Pay up.
Three marks.
- Hold your horses, the bet
is not up until tomorrow.
- You're stalling.
- One for me.
- Leave him alone.
- Better for you if
we take the bodies.
We don't want anyone to
get a taste for meat.
Just like the
"Triumph of the Will."
Here.
There we go.
That's my boy.
We have guests.
March, march, march.
March.
- Commandant, Heil Hitler.
Your prisoners from
Cell Block 11 are singing.
Officer Baer requests
permission to shoot them
to end the disruption.
You heard him.
- We won't kill you, but we
can make your stay worse.
Much worse.
No more singing.
No more singing.
- Father?
Father?
- We are victors.
- Well, that's an
overstatement but,
I admit it felt good.
- How can you laugh?
How can you say we're victors?
My wife is out there
somewhere dying.
Did your song save her?
Did it?
- Maybe it didn't
save her from her pain.
Maybe it showed her
that she's not alone.
- Sarah?
- Yes, honey of my lips?
I fixed your coat.
- Star of my night, thank you.
- Go on, put it on.
Like Joseph.
- A many-colored coat.
Are you trying to get rid of me?
- What is wrong?
Sarah, it
has been so cold.
I don't think I can
do it anymore.
Do what, my love?
- Live.
I don't think I
can live anymore.
I couldn't protect us.
- You put yourself together,
you took care of us, hm?
All the way through.
- It feels like the
coldest day in winter.
- It's the hunger.
No food to burn.
If we're going to survive,
we cannot do it like this.
We must gather together.
- Come beside me.
Hail Holy Queen
Mother of Mercy
Hail our life
Our sweetness and our hope
To you do we cry
Poor banished
children of Eve
Your brothers
have not eaten
anything but broth for weeks.
Please, let's skip a week.
How can we rest
if our enemy does not?
- But your brothers,
they joke that you love the
paper more than you love them.
- We are soldiers.
We must behave like it.
Br. Francis!
It's my fault.
It's my fault.
- Rat!
- Oh, a rat!
- I seen it.
Where?
- Rat!
- It's over there!
- Rat!
- Kill it. Go!
- Rat!
Rat! Rock!
- Holy shit, Father.
- What?
- Get back.
It's for all of you.
I'll share. Wait.
Whether it is a
rat or foie gras,
it doesn't matter a bit.
We are going to say grace.
Thank you God for this food.
Amen.
- Okay, okay.
- Hey, hey, hey, hey.
- How long have we been in here?
- We're on our fourth day.
And today everything changes.
- What are you talking about?
- 'Til this moment
we've only been hungry.
But today we will begin dying.
The madness comes next.
But it's already on
the doorstep, isn't it?
What are you doing?
- We should grind it to dust
while we still have some sense.
- He wants to burn the bridges?
- He's right, give
it back to him.
We should be done with it.
- We need it in
case anyone wants
to make one of us
his personal dinner.
- None of us will stoop so low.
- No, we all saw the body they
dragged out of here, right?
- Who's to say if
someone goes insane
it's not going to be you?
- Keep the stone.
I'm going to pray.
- You're making
it too easy for him.
- Karl, come
inside, it is too cold.
- Leah?
Leah, come out here.
Go get the dinner, let
us have it out here.
Come to think of
it, I'm not hungry.
What is
troubling you, Fritzsch?
- You know, it
is cold, isn't it?
This God forsaken country.
- The priest is on
your mind again?
- It is a scandal, Franziska.
A scandal.
I should shoot him now.
- It was quite genius,
truth be told,
walking out of line, daring
you to shoot him like that.
Still, he dares
you just by living.
- Tell me how are they
still alive with no food
and no water after four days?
This is of great concern to me.
- What was that?
Nothing.
Trick of the eyes.
Trick of the
eyes, trick of the eyes,
trick of the eyes, trick of
the eyes, trick of the eyes.
Please, make it go away.
- What did you see?
- I don't know if I
believe in heaven,
but I believe in hell.
Father...
I want to confess.
No.
I don't have anything to
say that the rest can't hear.
- All right.
In the name of Father, and
the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
- I may be a communist,
but truly, I wanted to
be rich all my life.
This...
This...
This bourgeoisie farmer, Vasyl,
he would pass us on his coach
with his reindeer-skin coat,
his shining hat and his driver
while we shivered
with our bare heads
and holes in our gloves.
So, one time we
were waiting for him,
I took everything.
I told this story so many times.
Laughing.
The next winter he
came to my house
begging for flour,
with his starving
daughter by his side,
this little girl.
So, I sold him the flour.
Flour from his own wheat
with his starving daughter
standing right there.
- Are you sorry for the
girl's sake or for your own?
- I'm sorry for both.
- Will you remove
from your heart
envy and resentment so
that you do not sin again?
- Yes.
- Through the
ministry of the Church,
I absolve you from your sins.
In the name of the
Father and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
You're forgiven.
Go in peace.
- If I'm going to die,
I'd like to say my piece
if that's all right?
Please, can we
be done with this nonsense?
- Yes, be done
with this foolishness.
Let it be, Jonas.
- Thank you.
What is a man
to do when
his wife has aged
from lover to mother?
Of course I loved her.
But a man cannot be
expected when he meets
a woman like Andzelika,
who needed help
to not be helpful.
- Go on.
- Before all this, she was
someone of note in Germany.
- She was a bloody spy.
- Don't talk about
her like that.
She was trying to get away
from a husband who beat her.
She said she could
help me land back
on my feet after the invasion.
I loved her.
And she kissed me
and she said she just
wanted me to feel safe.
All I had to do was give
up the names of the Poles.
- I knew it.
You kraut-loving son of a-
- Freddy, stop.
Let him speak.
- I made the list
to be with her.
And now I'm a murderer,
and I don't know
if I can be forgiven.
- He cannot be forgiven.
He betrayed Poland.
- Of course, of course all
things can be forgiven.
- Your name was on
the list, Maximilian.
I gave them your name,
and the names of your brothers.
- What?
How?
Why?
- I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
You weren't a man
someone could work with.
Oh, oh,
it is so funny, isn't it?
That we are all here.
The joke of it.
Can't you see?
You want to wave your hand,
say a man is forgiven.
But all the while,
you don't admit
that you have blackness in your
own heart.
Kolbe, you are just one of us.
I'm sorry.
- I forgive you, and I'm sorry.
I realize I must
confess as well.
My father was a beautiful man.
He taught me to
be strong and work.
When my brother went missing
in the war with the Russians,
my father went looking for
him and never came back.
I was so angry.
- Is this how you
Catholics do confessions?
Just telling your life
stories, going on and on?
- The faith was war for me.
In Japan when my
brothers fell sick,
I pushed them to run
the presses anyway.
The only people I had time for
were other Catholic soldiers.
That's why I wouldn't
speak with you.
That's why God called me here.
It's because of
you, to be with you.
Will you forgive me?
- I forgive you, Father.
- Father, there's
not any other man
I'd rather be
next to at the end.
- I absolve you from your sins.
In the name of the
Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit, amen.
- Thank you for everything.
Well done, my
good and faithful servant.
Come and enter into
your Master's rest.
- Albert?
I don't suppose either
of us makes it out,
but if you do,
you remember that
promise you made me?
Take care of my ma.
- I promise.
And if you outlive me-
- Make love to Margaret for you?
No.
No.
Get a message out.
Get it out to Margaret,
that I'm sorry.
Brother.
You're all I have.
Albert...
what if they find the
escaped prisoner after all,
rotting in some shit hole
they haven't checked in yet?
- Shit hole.
- I think soon I'll
take the children home.
- We'll return as a family
when I'm reassigned.
- The power of life and
death in your hands,
and you cannot bear to be alone.
- We stay together.
I'll hear no more of it.
Heil Hitler.
You found what?
Out!
- What?
- Albert?
Albert!
Come back to me.
- No, that's not
how the story goes.
- Remember?
It's time you go home.
Home.
Albert!
Albert!
Stupid!
I hate you!
Albert!
The radio priest.
Good evening.
- Who are you?
- We have found
your fugitive prisoner.
In the latrine.
Barefoot.
- So let this end.
Let us go.
- You surely realize
I cannot do that now
after what you have done, 16670.
- You could.
- No, you are a man of media.
You know the power of stories.
- Why did you let
me step forward?
You shoot everyone else.
- It was an experiment.
If you hadn't volunteered,
or sang your songs, perhaps
I'd let your friends go free.
Hm
But it seems your love
and the love of your
God has condemned them.
It's your blood bath, not God's.
Blood is what
nature responds to.
If that unsettles you perhaps
you should have a
word with your Creator.
- Love.
Love is what nature responds to.
- All your love has accomplished
is your own death and the
death of your brethren.
- You did something.
What did you do?
- You're just trying
to get out of your bet.
I did nothing.
- Pull it out.
- You want to hear
something funny?
We found the escaped prisoner.
Yes, we did.
Do you know where we found him?
In the latrine.
- Then let us go.
Let us go.
Let me see my son.
No.
Ask him why.
Ask him.
- What do you know?
What do you know, tell us?
- Fritzsch was here last night.
What did he say?
- Only lies.
- What did he say?
- He said he couldn't let us
leave because of our songs.
- I told you.
I told you, I told you!
- He was making it
up to get in our heads.
- I'm sorry.
Misha?
Fire!
- I couldn't save him.
I couldn't save him.
My son.
He's already...
He's already...
- You don't know that.
- How can you
still hope, Father?
- I saw heaven once,
in a fever dream in Japan.
I was on the path in the forest.
And the Virgin was there.
She beckoned.
And I walked with her
until we came to a house.
I opened the door,
and what do you think I saw?
A wedding.
The party I had wanted to be
invited to for my entire life.
Everyone was
drunk, but not on wine,
and there was singing.
And Jesus himself
was dancing the polka.
And so was my father.
Before I knew it, the
pretty maiden had grabbed me
and pulled me
to the dance floor.
And we danced all night.
I never told anyone about that.
- If God lets all this happen
just to see if we are
worthy to go to heaven,
then he is evil.
- Love is the realest thing.
No one can take that from us.
Even now.
- What are you playing?
- I don't know.
- What are you playing, huh?
- I don't know!
- That is the anthem
of our enemy.
Where did you learn it?
- How could you?
- Tell me, speak to me!
- Commandant, Heil Hitler.
- Open the door.
- Why are you holding on, hm?
What is it you think
you have to hold on to?
- What are you going to do, huh?
What are you going to do?
- I'm not here to kill you.
I'm here to show you the truth.
Look.
Your beloved Warsaw, d.
All shells.
If you think England
is coming to your aid,
well, here is England.
We have won.
There is nothing left of
the world but the Reich.
And your sweethearts are
trying to forget you.
Probably swelling with
a German baby right now.
And they will forget.
Why? Because we have
the schools, the cinema.
We have the radio.
Goebbels has already recruited
ten thousand Polish boys
for the German Army.
Poland is dead.
So do yourselves a favor,
and leave your meaningless
little lives behind.
Oh, you
want to look, huh?
You want to see more closely?
- Poland still
lives.
There, you see?
- Freddy!
Freddy!
No!
No!
No, no.
Don't leave me!
Don't leave me, Albert!
Albert!
Albert!
Albert!
- Margaret!
- Albert!
No, don't. Don't!
- Let go!
Please!
- Let him do it, Father!
Let him do it.
- Don't!
- Let him do it.
He's already dead.
- Would you give it to Misha?
- What did you say?
- Would you give it to your son?
- I've got it, I've got it.
- Just let me go.
- Albert?
Do you know what inspired
me to step out of line?
I saw your love for Freddy.
You inspired me.
I believe that somehow,
somewhere on the other side
of this savage life
everyone who has gone before us
is watching from the stands
beholding this moment.
Freddy is there.
Don't give up.
Finish the race.
Thank you.
Into death, and beyond it.
Into death, and beyond it.
- Hey, hey.
- What do you want?
- They've been singing again
comin' from the cell block.
- What of it?
- Your pa might still be alive.
It's been eight days.
- Hm.
Good to see
you're well.
- Still alive you say?
Hm.
- Yes, Commandant.
- Officer Baer.
Is this perhaps
one of his jokes?
Does he taunt me?
This is not possible
without food and water.
All prisoners
must return back
to their barracks!
All prisoners not
compliant will be shot!
All prisoners not
compliant will be shot!
The night racks my bones.
And the pain that
gnaws me takes no rest.
Friend and neighbor
you've taken away.
My one companion is darkness.
How are you still alive, hm?
How are you alive?
- My Lady.
- I used to pray for a miracle.
Now I pray that
death comes swiftly.
Is that wrong?
- You are a good man, Jonas.
I'm so proud of you.
- Thank you, Kolbe.
We won.
- Your family, they're
waiting for you.
- I see them, I see them.
Strong.
Strong.
Look at me, look at me.
I am ready.
For Margaret.
- Into death.
- And beyond it.
- Don't look at me, Priest.
Look down.
- We have fought the good fight.
We have finished the race.
We are free.
"Dear Margaret,
when I was with you,
I believed that
good always wins,
and that the happy
ending was there
for anyone who had faith.
I am sorry. I should
have never left you.
And now I am not coming back.
But I want you to know
somehow in this ugly end,
we have triumphed.
I believe you would
be proud to see
that I've become the good
man you always saw in me.
I offer my suffering for you
and your future children.
And I'll see you again someday.
Into death, and beyond it.
Yours, Albert."
Saint Maximilian Kolbe
and this story...
it saved my life.
And I believe that it has the
power to restore hearts
and to heal and to
bring God's love
to millions throughout
the world.
We are living, right now,
in a crisis of hope.
And I know this personally,
because I was sick
and I had lost the will to live.
But, my discovery of this story
really brought me hope and
brought me out of my darkness.
And I made this film
so that others like me
can experience
that love of Christ that I
experienced in this story.
If this film moved you,
please consider supporting
our mission
to share Kolbe's story
with the world.
It is very, very expensive
to make films
and to distribute them.
Every dollar that you give,
goes to funding our
marketing efforts
and allows us to give this
as free access to those
who need this story the most.
Thank you, so much, for your
support, for your time,
and let's pray for
Saint Maximilian Kolbe
intercession to heal and
to convert hearts.
Saint Maximilian Kolbe and
Our Lady, the Immaculate
pray for us.
Hello there,
I'm Anthony D'Ambrosio
the director of
'Triumph of the Heart'.
Before we start, I'd like to
thank you, sincerely,
from the bottom of my heart, for
supporting our efforts
in telling the stories
of our saints.
Saint Maximilian Kolbe himself
had the desire to
share the Gospel
through media and through film
and so we are so thrilled to
be following in his footsteps.
Making a film takes
millions of dollars
and many years to complete.
And so after this movie
we'll ask if you're moved,
please consider
becoming a patron
of our work, to catalyze
a new renaissance
of faith-filled filmmaking.
Now, as a friendly reminder
this streaming platform is for
single household families
and viewing only.
It's not for group screenings
or churches, so if you're
with a church, a group
over 20 people
please, visit our website,
triumphoftheheart.com
to search for a way
to get a license.
Finally, I'd like to invite you
to join me in taking a
moment of silence
to honor Saint Maximilian Kolbe
and those who lost their
lives in Auschwitz.
And to prepare your
own heart for
Whatever God wants to speak
to you through this film.
Now, it is my honor
to share with you
Saint Maximilian Kolbe's
triumph of the heart.
- Come on, come on.
Come on.
Catch me.
Catch me.
Okay.
Then the damsel calls out in
her moment of greatest need,
and just then who does she see?
Who?
- Andrzej the hussar.
He gallops in on his
fine steed, armor blazing
in the morning sun,
feathery wings roaring,
and he yells at the
Ottoman in the black mask,
"Who art thou that threatens
this fair maiden so?
Arm thyself, scoundrel,
and prepare to do battle,
if ye dare."
- Come here and I will put
you down like the dog you are.
- Then Andrzej, our
hero, plunges his sword
to the very hilt through
the Ottoman's chest.
- No, he only thinks he does.
In fact, he's a very poor
swordsman and he trips,
lands on his back.
No.
That's not how the story goes.
- If they don't find him,
then you go to the front.
- He couldn't have got out.
His shoes were in the barracks.
Who escapes without their shoes?
They just haven't found him yet.
- You know the rules.
Just as your Polish
brother did before he fled.
I will choose 10
of you to starve
until the missing prisoner
is found or until death.
Your brother traded
your lives for his.
What does this tell you?
This backbiting is your nature.
Thank you.
No!
This one.
- Freddy!
- Don't take him!
- You want to die that badly?
Hm?
- Forward!
Hands.
- Forward!
No, not me!
- No, please, please!
- No, please, I've got a wife.
I've got children! No!
No!
Please, don't! No!
- Father, Father!
Father,
we can't find him.
He is gone.
They will find him.
- Stop.
Give it back to him.
- He needs it more.
- You can't save us.
Get back in line!
Halt!
I can take his place.
I can take his place.
He has children and a wife.
I'm a Catholic priest.
- Very well, sir.
You have proved nothing.
Welcome.
Three marks say
they last at least four days.
Hm, maybe three days.
- Taken.
A parting gift from
Fritzsch for a quick death.
Auf Wiedersehen.
- You bastards!
You cowards!
You German freaks!
You aren't even men
- Stop!
- you pieces of shit!
- Stop!
- You carry on like that
they will throw another one
in to die with us.
I'm telling you to
save your breath!
- Who is the enemy here?
Our brother Poles?
Go on, kill each other.
That's exactly what
the Germans want.
- Most of you are barely
off the death train.
You haven't seen what
happens to a man
when he starves, have you?
We will lose our minds.
And there's nothing dignified
about this death, nothing.
- The man that they dragged out,
something bit him.
- We were assigned
on duty here once.
We took the bodies
out of this cell
to the crematory and it was...
- And what?
- They were covered
by bite marks.
They did it to each other.
- You've heard what's in store.
We could end it together.
- That's temptation
from the serpent.
Don't listen to him.
We must hold on to our hope.
- Hope?
Hope?
Spoken like a priest
with soft hands.
Hope.
- I'd rather go out
on my own terms.
I don't think I could.
- My friend, if dignity
is what you want,
you won't find it
by taking your life.
Let the men make
their own decisions, Father.
- I'm a coward.
I wasn't before...
- ...this place.
Just give it a few more days,
and it will come easier.
- I'm sorry they threw
you in here with me.
One of us is bad enough but...
God...
can you believe we
made it through d
just to bite it here
in this shit hole?
Albert?
We are all going
to die in here.
- One, two, one, two.
Okay.
One, two, one, two.
Harder. Stronger.
Left, right, left, right.
Faster, faster.
Good, good.
One, two, one, two.
One, two.
Come on, come on.
Good.
Well done.
Well done.
Now, Karl...
...do you know what this is?
A Reichsmark.
- No.
Today it is an Olympic medal.
My father gave it
to me after one
of my matches when
I was a boy like you.
We were not close
like you and I,
but he taught me to be strong.
He said to be an
Olympian you can't
let anybody stand in your way.
Not even your own father.
Here.
Put it in your pocket.
I love you, Papa.
Strength is a choice, Karl.
Come on.
Gisela, are you a princess?
- Yes, Daddy.
- He did so good today.
- Prisoner 16670.
He ran one of the largest papers
and radio stations in Poland.
Some German blood
in him, turns out.
Can't imagine why you are
curious about a dead Pole.
I know you can't imagine, Baer.
What are we here to do, hm?
To kill?
No.
We are here to break
the will of Poland
so the Reich may
reset the bone.
That is why I do what I do.
Yes, sir.
Don't yes me like an adolescent.
I want to watch this
priest's will to live break.
When he degrades
himself we'll spread
the story of his
demise across Poland.
- In the meantime we must...
stamp out any show of spirit his
little act might have inspired.
Go and devise one
of your sick jokes,
perhaps with the
women of the camp.
Make sure he hears
it through his window.
- Dismissed.
- If we are to die together,
I suppose we should at least
know each other's names.
I'm Maximilian.
My given name's Raymond.
- God, does anyone not
know who he is already?
The man with the magazine!
How much good did
that do for Poland, huh?
Well?
It landed you here, Priest.
It did that much.
What brought you here?
- Workers' Party.
I don't suppose you ever
met one of us up close?
- Our differences
are forgotten here.
We are just Poles in the end.
- There's so much
you don't know.
- Corporal Freddy
Kowalczyk, at your service.
This is Albert.
He talks like he is smarter
than us because he is.
Saved my life more
than once in d.
Saved lots of us.
All the good that did.
- Peter.
- Hercel.
Go on.
This is Chaim.
You must forgive him.
The young have so much more
to grieve than the rest of us.
He was one of my
students before this.
- You were a teacher?
- Science. Torah.
A communist,
a Catholic and a Jew dying
together in the same room.
Where's the punchline?
Brothers...
we are dying, yes,
but we don't have
to die like animals.
We can die as men if
we fix our eyes on God.
- God is dead.
They killed him in
the first bombing.
Let's just get it over with.
Killing yourself is
just another murder.
- You killed yourself when
you came into this cell.
What?
Are we men or are we cattle?
I say no.
We have our voices.
These are all the
weapons we need
to make our last days count.
- No one cares what we do now.
We are erased from history.
Life is meaningless.
I care.
I do.
Listen, I'm founding a militia.
There is no pay but it
could upset some Germans.
We will pray for the camp,
until we can't pray anymore.
We have nine spots open.
Who'd like to join?
- What hope can I give them?
You stripped
everything from Job,
and when he cried out,
you only answered
with another question.
Where were you,
son of man,
when I set the world
on its foundations?
Holy Mother,
you called me here.
Give me the words they need.
- Words are not enough.
Words are not enough.
Where's Papa?
- It's okay, Mama is here.
Mama is here,
it's okay, sweetie.
It's okay. I'm here now.
- Hail Holy Queen
Don't worry.
- Hail Holy Queen
Don't worry, honey.
Mother of Mercy,
Hail our life, our
sweetness and our hope.
To you do we cry,
Poor banished
children of Eve.
To you do we
send up our sighs,
Mourning and weeping
In this vale of tears.
- Rat!
Rat!
- Where? Rat?
Damn it.
- You dirty
good-for-nothing gypsy!
- You spent more
water than you gained.
- Please!
This could be the
last sleep of my life.
Can we have peace?
- They are at least
going to give us water?
Aren't they?
Hail, Holy Queen
Mother of Mercy
What is this horrible noise?
Lullaby.
My mother sang it to us.
- I wish your mother had passed
on her singing voice to you too.
Hail our life
Our sweetness and our hope
- What?
My grandmother
sang it to me, too.
Don't judge a book by its cover.
I sang first chair in
Cathedral Boys' Choir.
Sang like an angel, too.
To you do we cry
Poor banished
children of Eve
To you do we
send up our sighs
Mourning and weeping
In this vale of tears
Turn then most
gracious advocate
Thine eyes of
mercy towards us
- Karl, Karl.
Please.
- Ministry of Propaganda.
Can you imagine?
Yes.
- Heil Hitler.
Heil Hitler.
- Ah, Herr Minister.
I've heard of a
position for us in Berlin.
And I've
heard of this game you are
you are playing with a priest.
When
will you have a story for us?
No more than a week.
Hm.
If you turn him into a martyr,
you might
want to look into a heavier coat
because
you'll be headed to Russia
not to Berlin.
It's all in hand.
- If you cannot sleep,
you could at least
tell us your stories.
I'll be happy to hear
your confession.
They've come for me!
They're here for me!
- Chaim, wake up.
- Oh, thank God.
Have you spoken to
the Office of Workers?
Chaim, wake up.
I think we have a dead one.
Get up!
- I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
No!
No, no!
No, no!
- They truly are dogs.
- Maximilian!
You came!
Did the Japanese not feed you?
Come.
Have you met Aleksy, the new
benefactor of our cathedral?
- Kolbe, when you two finish
I would like to talk to you
about putting in a good word
for the cause in your paper.
- Maximilian, why don't
we speak in my office?
- Before you go, a small memento
of our party's
appreciation for your work.
No need to thank me.
We'll talk after, huh?
Germany or
Russia will invade again soon.
This is
nothing new for Poland.
- And at that point your paper
will not be what
our people need.
- Do you object?
- To your politics?
Of course not.
But answer me this.
Why do fascists and communists
spring up like grass
from every crack in
Warsaw's pavement,
despite all the good
work that you do?
This is not a
rhetorical question.
I'd like to hear your answer.
- Our church has
grown too comfortable.
- No, modern man is isolated.
He's ravenous to
belong to something.
Admit it, my friend,
our words are not enough now.
Stay in Poland.
Let them feel your presence.
Let them see your love.
- We write of God's
love in every paper.
- Yes, but you seem to forget
that the Word became
a man, not a magazine.
- When we were
young friars in seminary,
we thought it would be good to
try and fast for all of Lent.
We made it two
weeks, just water.
But we found the most unexpected
comfort during that time.
- Here comes the sermon.
- At dinner time we used to sit
up in our beds and talk
about our last meal.
I always chose my
mother's kotlet schabowy,
with homemade
bread with salted butter.
- Oh, that is torture.
- Chicken braised with
French burgundy wine,
with speckgrieben, lardons,
with mushrooms and garlic.
You're a man of fine taste.
Were you a chef?
No.
My...
My partner was.
- Before I left for Cambridge,
my girl Margaret said I needed
a proper introduction
to English tea.
She made me the
most perfect scones.
Yeah, I would have those
with English tea and bacon.
- My mother's milk.
- What?
- Cows.
My mother raised milk cows.
You thought I meant...
No.
No.
I can't think anymore.
- I don't think I will...
be able to be with
you all much longer.
- Whatever is on the other side,
save us some beer.
- Besides, if they don't
give us water tonight,
we're all following you.
- Wouldn't that be a
sight for sore eyes?
All of us arriving at the
Pearly Gates together at once
like a group of scoundrels
at a bar looking for a cold one?
- In the past months
I have seen...
...noble men
lose their humanity.
I could not remember
that there was any goodness
left in the world.
And then
what he did yesterday
made me remember.
You...
You've got chutzpah, Father.
- Maximilian, I may not
have another evening left,
but I would very much
like to join your militia.
- What do you say, Max?
You are welcome.
- Then I am at peace.
Hercel...
can we pray together?
With a priest?
Yes.
- Into death, and beyond it.
- Into death, and beyond it.
Jonas, sing with me.
- Albert, please, please!
Please don't, don't leave me!
Don't leave me, Albert!
Stupid!
- Rat!
No sleep?
No.
I wish we could
have just one drink.
- I wish we could
have just one cigarette.
- You smoke?
- Never.
But now would be a good
time to start, wouldn't it?
Thanks.
My father would have killed me
if he saw me with
this cigarette, really.
- I can see where you get it.
Can I ask you a question?
- Sure.
- What is it like to have people
know you for your writing?
- It's overrated.
- I doubt that.
I had a novel that
was almost done.
I was going to add my name
to the annals of history
beside the greats like...
Mickiewicz.
With a street to
be named after me
right next to Chopin Street.
- Why did you leave?
- The news.
When they came on the radio
and said that Germany had
invaded I was with Margaret.
She was better than me.
Beautiful, pure.
I wanted to win honor
and return as a hero,
as someone worthy of her.
- It's good to stand
for something.
- It was an illusion.
The story they tell
to young men like me
to get them to leave their women
and bleed out on charred fields.
I could be a coward.
And be back with
Margaret right now,
holding her in my arms.
And now I don't even
get to say goodbye.
- You will see her again.
If they find the escaped
man or if not...
in Heaven.
- I wonder,
where have you been
these past two years
to believe in heaven or God?
Certainly you couldn't have
been living in this world.
The world of starvation and
children dying in a cage,
the strong win, the weak die.
Here to live you have to steal
a bowl of soup
from someone else.
- I understand you.
And you don't think
I have anger, Albert?
My life's work now is ash.
The Poland I loved is
seduced and enslaved,
just when she frees
herself from Russia
we are invaded by Germany.
Has God abandoned us?
- You doubt?
- My God, my God, why
have you abandoned me?
You know who said that?
I'm just grateful
that I have a Savior
who came to be with
me in my suffering.
- Oh my God.
It's raining.
What,
what, what, what?
- Pay up.
Three marks.
- Hold your horses, the bet
is not up until tomorrow.
- You're stalling.
- One for me.
- Leave him alone.
- Better for you if
we take the bodies.
We don't want anyone to
get a taste for meat.
Just like the
"Triumph of the Will."
Here.
There we go.
That's my boy.
We have guests.
March, march, march.
March.
- Commandant, Heil Hitler.
Your prisoners from
Cell Block 11 are singing.
Officer Baer requests
permission to shoot them
to end the disruption.
You heard him.
- We won't kill you, but we
can make your stay worse.
Much worse.
No more singing.
No more singing.
- Father?
Father?
- We are victors.
- Well, that's an
overstatement but,
I admit it felt good.
- How can you laugh?
How can you say we're victors?
My wife is out there
somewhere dying.
Did your song save her?
Did it?
- Maybe it didn't
save her from her pain.
Maybe it showed her
that she's not alone.
- Sarah?
- Yes, honey of my lips?
I fixed your coat.
- Star of my night, thank you.
- Go on, put it on.
Like Joseph.
- A many-colored coat.
Are you trying to get rid of me?
- What is wrong?
Sarah, it
has been so cold.
I don't think I can
do it anymore.
Do what, my love?
- Live.
I don't think I
can live anymore.
I couldn't protect us.
- You put yourself together,
you took care of us, hm?
All the way through.
- It feels like the
coldest day in winter.
- It's the hunger.
No food to burn.
If we're going to survive,
we cannot do it like this.
We must gather together.
- Come beside me.
Hail Holy Queen
Mother of Mercy
Hail our life
Our sweetness and our hope
To you do we cry
Poor banished
children of Eve
Your brothers
have not eaten
anything but broth for weeks.
Please, let's skip a week.
How can we rest
if our enemy does not?
- But your brothers,
they joke that you love the
paper more than you love them.
- We are soldiers.
We must behave like it.
Br. Francis!
It's my fault.
It's my fault.
- Rat!
- Oh, a rat!
- I seen it.
Where?
- Rat!
- It's over there!
- Rat!
- Kill it. Go!
- Rat!
Rat! Rock!
- Holy shit, Father.
- What?
- Get back.
It's for all of you.
I'll share. Wait.
Whether it is a
rat or foie gras,
it doesn't matter a bit.
We are going to say grace.
Thank you God for this food.
Amen.
- Okay, okay.
- Hey, hey, hey, hey.
- How long have we been in here?
- We're on our fourth day.
And today everything changes.
- What are you talking about?
- 'Til this moment
we've only been hungry.
But today we will begin dying.
The madness comes next.
But it's already on
the doorstep, isn't it?
What are you doing?
- We should grind it to dust
while we still have some sense.
- He wants to burn the bridges?
- He's right, give
it back to him.
We should be done with it.
- We need it in
case anyone wants
to make one of us
his personal dinner.
- None of us will stoop so low.
- No, we all saw the body they
dragged out of here, right?
- Who's to say if
someone goes insane
it's not going to be you?
- Keep the stone.
I'm going to pray.
- You're making
it too easy for him.
- Karl, come
inside, it is too cold.
- Leah?
Leah, come out here.
Go get the dinner, let
us have it out here.
Come to think of
it, I'm not hungry.
What is
troubling you, Fritzsch?
- You know, it
is cold, isn't it?
This God forsaken country.
- The priest is on
your mind again?
- It is a scandal, Franziska.
A scandal.
I should shoot him now.
- It was quite genius,
truth be told,
walking out of line, daring
you to shoot him like that.
Still, he dares
you just by living.
- Tell me how are they
still alive with no food
and no water after four days?
This is of great concern to me.
- What was that?
Nothing.
Trick of the eyes.
Trick of the
eyes, trick of the eyes,
trick of the eyes, trick of
the eyes, trick of the eyes.
Please, make it go away.
- What did you see?
- I don't know if I
believe in heaven,
but I believe in hell.
Father...
I want to confess.
No.
I don't have anything to
say that the rest can't hear.
- All right.
In the name of Father, and
the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
- I may be a communist,
but truly, I wanted to
be rich all my life.
This...
This...
This bourgeoisie farmer, Vasyl,
he would pass us on his coach
with his reindeer-skin coat,
his shining hat and his driver
while we shivered
with our bare heads
and holes in our gloves.
So, one time we
were waiting for him,
I took everything.
I told this story so many times.
Laughing.
The next winter he
came to my house
begging for flour,
with his starving
daughter by his side,
this little girl.
So, I sold him the flour.
Flour from his own wheat
with his starving daughter
standing right there.
- Are you sorry for the
girl's sake or for your own?
- I'm sorry for both.
- Will you remove
from your heart
envy and resentment so
that you do not sin again?
- Yes.
- Through the
ministry of the Church,
I absolve you from your sins.
In the name of the
Father and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
You're forgiven.
Go in peace.
- If I'm going to die,
I'd like to say my piece
if that's all right?
Please, can we
be done with this nonsense?
- Yes, be done
with this foolishness.
Let it be, Jonas.
- Thank you.
What is a man
to do when
his wife has aged
from lover to mother?
Of course I loved her.
But a man cannot be
expected when he meets
a woman like Andzelika,
who needed help
to not be helpful.
- Go on.
- Before all this, she was
someone of note in Germany.
- She was a bloody spy.
- Don't talk about
her like that.
She was trying to get away
from a husband who beat her.
She said she could
help me land back
on my feet after the invasion.
I loved her.
And she kissed me
and she said she just
wanted me to feel safe.
All I had to do was give
up the names of the Poles.
- I knew it.
You kraut-loving son of a-
- Freddy, stop.
Let him speak.
- I made the list
to be with her.
And now I'm a murderer,
and I don't know
if I can be forgiven.
- He cannot be forgiven.
He betrayed Poland.
- Of course, of course all
things can be forgiven.
- Your name was on
the list, Maximilian.
I gave them your name,
and the names of your brothers.
- What?
How?
Why?
- I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
You weren't a man
someone could work with.
Oh, oh,
it is so funny, isn't it?
That we are all here.
The joke of it.
Can't you see?
You want to wave your hand,
say a man is forgiven.
But all the while,
you don't admit
that you have blackness in your
own heart.
Kolbe, you are just one of us.
I'm sorry.
- I forgive you, and I'm sorry.
I realize I must
confess as well.
My father was a beautiful man.
He taught me to
be strong and work.
When my brother went missing
in the war with the Russians,
my father went looking for
him and never came back.
I was so angry.
- Is this how you
Catholics do confessions?
Just telling your life
stories, going on and on?
- The faith was war for me.
In Japan when my
brothers fell sick,
I pushed them to run
the presses anyway.
The only people I had time for
were other Catholic soldiers.
That's why I wouldn't
speak with you.
That's why God called me here.
It's because of
you, to be with you.
Will you forgive me?
- I forgive you, Father.
- Father, there's
not any other man
I'd rather be
next to at the end.
- I absolve you from your sins.
In the name of the
Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit, amen.
- Thank you for everything.
Well done, my
good and faithful servant.
Come and enter into
your Master's rest.
- Albert?
I don't suppose either
of us makes it out,
but if you do,
you remember that
promise you made me?
Take care of my ma.
- I promise.
And if you outlive me-
- Make love to Margaret for you?
No.
No.
Get a message out.
Get it out to Margaret,
that I'm sorry.
Brother.
You're all I have.
Albert...
what if they find the
escaped prisoner after all,
rotting in some shit hole
they haven't checked in yet?
- Shit hole.
- I think soon I'll
take the children home.
- We'll return as a family
when I'm reassigned.
- The power of life and
death in your hands,
and you cannot bear to be alone.
- We stay together.
I'll hear no more of it.
Heil Hitler.
You found what?
Out!
- What?
- Albert?
Albert!
Come back to me.
- No, that's not
how the story goes.
- Remember?
It's time you go home.
Home.
Albert!
Albert!
Stupid!
I hate you!
Albert!
The radio priest.
Good evening.
- Who are you?
- We have found
your fugitive prisoner.
In the latrine.
Barefoot.
- So let this end.
Let us go.
- You surely realize
I cannot do that now
after what you have done, 16670.
- You could.
- No, you are a man of media.
You know the power of stories.
- Why did you let
me step forward?
You shoot everyone else.
- It was an experiment.
If you hadn't volunteered,
or sang your songs, perhaps
I'd let your friends go free.
Hm
But it seems your love
and the love of your
God has condemned them.
It's your blood bath, not God's.
Blood is what
nature responds to.
If that unsettles you perhaps
you should have a
word with your Creator.
- Love.
Love is what nature responds to.
- All your love has accomplished
is your own death and the
death of your brethren.
- You did something.
What did you do?
- You're just trying
to get out of your bet.
I did nothing.
- Pull it out.
- You want to hear
something funny?
We found the escaped prisoner.
Yes, we did.
Do you know where we found him?
In the latrine.
- Then let us go.
Let us go.
Let me see my son.
No.
Ask him why.
Ask him.
- What do you know?
What do you know, tell us?
- Fritzsch was here last night.
What did he say?
- Only lies.
- What did he say?
- He said he couldn't let us
leave because of our songs.
- I told you.
I told you, I told you!
- He was making it
up to get in our heads.
- I'm sorry.
Misha?
Fire!
- I couldn't save him.
I couldn't save him.
My son.
He's already...
He's already...
- You don't know that.
- How can you
still hope, Father?
- I saw heaven once,
in a fever dream in Japan.
I was on the path in the forest.
And the Virgin was there.
She beckoned.
And I walked with her
until we came to a house.
I opened the door,
and what do you think I saw?
A wedding.
The party I had wanted to be
invited to for my entire life.
Everyone was
drunk, but not on wine,
and there was singing.
And Jesus himself
was dancing the polka.
And so was my father.
Before I knew it, the
pretty maiden had grabbed me
and pulled me
to the dance floor.
And we danced all night.
I never told anyone about that.
- If God lets all this happen
just to see if we are
worthy to go to heaven,
then he is evil.
- Love is the realest thing.
No one can take that from us.
Even now.
- What are you playing?
- I don't know.
- What are you playing, huh?
- I don't know!
- That is the anthem
of our enemy.
Where did you learn it?
- How could you?
- Tell me, speak to me!
- Commandant, Heil Hitler.
- Open the door.
- Why are you holding on, hm?
What is it you think
you have to hold on to?
- What are you going to do, huh?
What are you going to do?
- I'm not here to kill you.
I'm here to show you the truth.
Look.
Your beloved Warsaw, d.
All shells.
If you think England
is coming to your aid,
well, here is England.
We have won.
There is nothing left of
the world but the Reich.
And your sweethearts are
trying to forget you.
Probably swelling with
a German baby right now.
And they will forget.
Why? Because we have
the schools, the cinema.
We have the radio.
Goebbels has already recruited
ten thousand Polish boys
for the German Army.
Poland is dead.
So do yourselves a favor,
and leave your meaningless
little lives behind.
Oh, you
want to look, huh?
You want to see more closely?
- Poland still
lives.
There, you see?
- Freddy!
Freddy!
No!
No!
No, no.
Don't leave me!
Don't leave me, Albert!
Albert!
Albert!
Albert!
- Margaret!
- Albert!
No, don't. Don't!
- Let go!
Please!
- Let him do it, Father!
Let him do it.
- Don't!
- Let him do it.
He's already dead.
- Would you give it to Misha?
- What did you say?
- Would you give it to your son?
- I've got it, I've got it.
- Just let me go.
- Albert?
Do you know what inspired
me to step out of line?
I saw your love for Freddy.
You inspired me.
I believe that somehow,
somewhere on the other side
of this savage life
everyone who has gone before us
is watching from the stands
beholding this moment.
Freddy is there.
Don't give up.
Finish the race.
Thank you.
Into death, and beyond it.
Into death, and beyond it.
- Hey, hey.
- What do you want?
- They've been singing again
comin' from the cell block.
- What of it?
- Your pa might still be alive.
It's been eight days.
- Hm.
Good to see
you're well.
- Still alive you say?
Hm.
- Yes, Commandant.
- Officer Baer.
Is this perhaps
one of his jokes?
Does he taunt me?
This is not possible
without food and water.
All prisoners
must return back
to their barracks!
All prisoners not
compliant will be shot!
All prisoners not
compliant will be shot!
The night racks my bones.
And the pain that
gnaws me takes no rest.
Friend and neighbor
you've taken away.
My one companion is darkness.
How are you still alive, hm?
How are you alive?
- My Lady.
- I used to pray for a miracle.
Now I pray that
death comes swiftly.
Is that wrong?
- You are a good man, Jonas.
I'm so proud of you.
- Thank you, Kolbe.
We won.
- Your family, they're
waiting for you.
- I see them, I see them.
Strong.
Strong.
Look at me, look at me.
I am ready.
For Margaret.
- Into death.
- And beyond it.
- Don't look at me, Priest.
Look down.
- We have fought the good fight.
We have finished the race.
We are free.
"Dear Margaret,
when I was with you,
I believed that
good always wins,
and that the happy
ending was there
for anyone who had faith.
I am sorry. I should
have never left you.
And now I am not coming back.
But I want you to know
somehow in this ugly end,
we have triumphed.
I believe you would
be proud to see
that I've become the good
man you always saw in me.
I offer my suffering for you
and your future children.
And I'll see you again someday.
Into death, and beyond it.
Yours, Albert."
Saint Maximilian Kolbe
and this story...
it saved my life.
And I believe that it has the
power to restore hearts
and to heal and to
bring God's love
to millions throughout
the world.
We are living, right now,
in a crisis of hope.
And I know this personally,
because I was sick
and I had lost the will to live.
But, my discovery of this story
really brought me hope and
brought me out of my darkness.
And I made this film
so that others like me
can experience
that love of Christ that I
experienced in this story.
If this film moved you,
please consider supporting
our mission
to share Kolbe's story
with the world.
It is very, very expensive
to make films
and to distribute them.
Every dollar that you give,
goes to funding our
marketing efforts
and allows us to give this
as free access to those
who need this story the most.
Thank you, so much, for your
support, for your time,
and let's pray for
Saint Maximilian Kolbe
intercession to heal and
to convert hearts.
Saint Maximilian Kolbe and
Our Lady, the Immaculate
pray for us.