Official Movie Poster / Quiver Distribution
CV NEWS FEED // A new film telling the true story of a heroic Catholic nurse who hid 12 Jews in a Nazi officer’s house during World War II is set to premiere in the United States on April 15 and 16.
Irena’s Vow looks at World War II through the eyes of Irena Gut, a Polish nurse who worked in the home of a prominent Nazi officer.
“19-year-old Irena is promoted to housekeeper in the home of a highly respected Nazi officer when she finds out that the Jewish ghetto is about to be liquidated,” the film’s synopsis reads. “Determined to help the Jewish workers, she decides to shelter them in the safest place she can think of—the basement of the German commandant’s house.”
Irena, played by actress Sophie Nélisse, was able to hide the Jews for two years until the end of the German occupation. The film, released by Fathom Events and Quiver Distribution at the U.S. showings, has already received acclaim from Catholic figures.
“Irena encapsulates true heroism: to set yourself aside and to put others first,” said Jenna Guizar, founder of national Catholic women’s ministry Blessed is She, according to the film’s promotional website. “Her selflessness in saving lives, her perseverance even in the worst of circumstances, her love in the face of the ugliest of humanity inspires all to live a life in humility and generosity. She witnesses to the truth that in the end, Love is what remains. And if we love, we will have lived a life worth living.”
Michael Donaldson, the senior director of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles’ Office of Life, Justice, and Peace, called the movie a “must-see” that “will tug on your heart!”
“Irena’s Vow is a compelling movie interwoven with true expressions of love and virtue,” he said. “The dignity of the human being is uplifted with the efforts of Irena to protect and safeguard those that were entrusted to her.”
The real-life Irena, who passed away in 2003, has received several honors from various nations for her heroic work. According to an emailed press release, the Israeli Holocaust Commission honored Irena as a “Righteous Among the Nations,” which is a title given to non-Jews who worked to save Jews during the Holocaust. She was also presented with Israel’s highest tribute—the Medal of Honor.
The Vatican gave Irena a commendation, and in 2008, she was posthumously presented with the Polish Medal of Honor, known as the Commander’s Cross. She was also posthumously presented with the Courage to Care award in 2009, a recognition given by the Anti-Defamation League based in New York.
The screenings in the U.S. will be accompanied by “exclusive video footage” featuring Irena’s daughter, Jeannie Smith, Roman Haller, a Holocaust survivor who was born during the Jews’ concealment, the film’s screenwriter Dan Gordon, Sophie Nélisse, and the director, Louise Archambault.
“From the moment we read the script over seven years ago, we were determined to find a way to make Irena’s Vow a reality. Little did we know how much more important Irena’s story would be today amid the massive increase in Jewish hatred and bigotry around the world,” said Jeff Sackman and Berry Meyerowitz, co-presidents of Quiver Distribution. “Irena’s story is a beacon for bringing our communities together to see goodness and humanity in action.”
