Everyone should watch this beautiful film about Saint Maximilian Kolbe! 👏
In this interview with ChurchPOP editor Jacqueline Burkepile, writer and director Anthony D'Ambrosio provides an exclusive first look at his new, grassroots-driven film, "Triumph of the Heart."
“Triumph of the Heart” covers the final 14 days of Saint Maximilian Kolbe’s life in Auschwitz.
“In 'Triumph of the Heart,' Kolbe enters the starvation bunker alongside nine condemned men and fights to forge a brotherhood of hope from their suffering and despair,” the official website’s description states.
In this exclusive ChurchPOP interview, D’Ambrosio tells Burkepile how he believes the Holy Spirit and Saint Maximilian Kolbe played a part in the making of this film. He also explains how “Triumph of the Heart” was born out of desperation, prayer, and several unforeseen miracles.
Watch the exclusive trailer and interview for “Triumph of the Heart” below:
D’Ambrosio says, “Every bit of the film is miraculous.” On set, the cast and crew felt an unmistakable presence of the Holy Spirit.
They “felt what you feel when you’re watching the movie—the Holy Spirit descending; we felt that in such a thick and heavy and profound way that we just knew God had shown up.”
Even while filming in a barn, the story took on a life of its own, moving everyone to tears.
“Everybody around us was just falling into puddles,” D’Ambrosio recalls. “We were all trying not to make noise so that we wouldn't disrupt the take because we were weeping while watching it. We just knew this was going to be God doing something really special here.”
D'Ambrosio also discusses the story and themes of the film, how his own conversion story inspired its creation, and how he and his team developed this project as a grassroots initiative.
He then goes on to share the impact he hopes the film makes on viewers, which includes devotion to Saint Maximilian Kolbe and an increased desire for vocations to the priesthood.
“I think that this image of the priesthood is one that refreshes people's vocations,” he says. "And then also, for those who are discerning, really presents a credible, beautiful version of the priesthood that will inspire people to want to pursue that.”