(LifeSiteNews) — Like Father Damien of Molokai and Mother Theresa of Kolkata, Father Maximilian Kolbe is honored by all people of good will who know of him.

Fr. Kolbe was arrested soon after the Germans invaded Poland in World War II, due to his influence as the publisher of a Catholic magazine, Knight of the Immaculata. He was imprisoned in the notorious Nazi concentration camp, Auschwitz.

One fateful day, a prisoner went missing. In retaliation for the escape, the guards selected ten men to suffer complete deprivation together in an otherwise empty cell—till they died or till the missing prisoner was found, whichever came first. One man who was selected cried out for his wife and children.

“I can take his place,” said Fr. Kolbe, as he stepped forward. “He has a wife and children. I am a Catholic priest.” Thus, Fr. Kolbe saved this man’s life and joined the cohort of ten men who were sent to the starvation bunker.

This new movie, Triumph of the Heart, imagines what became of those men.

I first heard about the movie in September from an interview with the producer, Cecilia Stevenson. So, I was delighted when I saw that our Sacred Heart Cathedral was going to host a showing. I ordered the tickets, and my husband and I saw the movie last Friday.

Triumph of the Heart is one of the best movies I have ever seen.

The makers are now offering lifetime streaming to families for only $20. This is a great deal, because you are going to want to see this movie more than once. As soon as it was over, I was ready to watch it again. Having come to know the men through the first viewing, I wanted to see them all again from the beginning.

At the risk of sacrilege, the movie reminds me of John Hughes’ cult classic, The Breakfast Club. In both movies, people are thrown together who seem to have nothing in common but their mutual confinement. In Triumph, one prisoner quips, “A Communist, a Catholic, and a Jew are dying together in the same room. Where is the punchline?” Character is revealed primarily through dialogue and body language. Relationships form as stories, songs, and confessions are shared.

Triumph of the Heart is surprisingly watchable, despite the grim subject matter and limited setting. The acting is first-rate. Flashbacks and omniscient views from outside the bunker provide insight and relief from the main drama. There is even some humor.

The primary conflict isn’t the threat of physical death; it is the threat of ignobility. The Nazi commandant doesn’t merely want the men to die. The guards could have shot them all at the outset. Rather, the commandant wants the men to debase themselves by resorting to suicide or turning on each other. Yet he underestimates the civilizing force of Christianity.

Some scenes are brutal. Parents should exercise caution, but I plan to watch this movie with my own kids who are 16 or older.

Trust me: You should see this film and then tell others about it.

Father Maximilian Kolbe, pray for us!

Jenny Hay is the founder of Knoxville Nobility, a Substack publication for local pro-life, pro-family news and insights, including firsthand reporting on Knoxville’s 2021 Planned Parenthood arson.