Bringing Kolbe’s Courage to the Big Screen

Written and directed by Anthony D’Ambrosio, Triumph of the Heart released in theaters this fall, moving audiences with its powerful portrayal of St. Maximilian Kolbe’s final days. Behind the haunting beauty of the film lies the dedication of an international crew, including two graduates of JPCatholic.

For Katerina Gerlach ‘22 and Angelika Sowa ‘23, Triumph of the Heart was more than just another credit. It was a labor of love to spread the story of the Franciscan friar who laid his life down at Auschwitz. A Polish native, Sowa grew up just hours from where Kolbe was martyred. She and Gerlach both share a special devotion to the Polish saints Kolbe and Pope John Paul II.

Just months after graduation—and being Director of Photography on JPCatholic’s student-crewed feature No Reception—Sowa was connected to D’Ambrosio’s team through Prof. George Simon. As a Production Assistant in Poland, she was tasked with managing pre-production logistics to ensure a seamless start to the indie feature. She later continued on the project as an Editor, helping to shape the film’s narrative, and currently serves as Marketing Manager, promoting the film’s inspiring message to a global audience.

Gerlach, who has already worked on 14 independent features since graduation, was brought on to the project mid-production in fall 2023. She began as Script Supervisor, but was quickly promoted to Second Assistant Director. And when a crew member’s departure created a gap, Gerlach stepped up to become First Assistant Director, a demanding role that oversees the day-to-day operations on set—and one that she had previously filled for JPCatholic’s feature O, Brawling Love! She later worked as Post-Production Coordinator, facilitating communication between the director and the editors, colorists, foley artists, and composer.

Much of the film was shot in a 19th-century prison in Piotrków Trybunalski, repurposed to resemble Auschwitz. “It was super cold on set,” Sowa recalled, “but it worked perfectly for the world we were building.” Despite the bleak environment, both women were struck by the camaraderie of the team. The international crew was composed of many who were even there as volunteers. “It was incredible to see how many people Anthony could rally around this story,” Gerlach said. “Many weren’t even Catholic, yet they were drawn to it.”

Working on an international indie feature comes with many challenges, especially on a production budget of $355k. Their training at JPCatholic, they say, gave them the confidence to meet those demands. “By the time I graduated, I’d worked on 85 short films,” said Gerlach. “That hands-on practice is how I really learned the roles of Script Supervisor and AD.”

Having worked with D’Ambrosio on the marketing and administrative side, Sowa pointed to the business curriculum: “I feel like me and my classmates really had production skills nailed, especially because of experiences like the Feature Film Program. But now I understand why JPCatholic put so much focus on marketing and entrepreneurship. Anthony is a great entrepreneur, which can be rare among directors, and that combination is why this film exists.”

Gerlach also expressed her admiration for D’Ambrosio’s leadership. “He had a clear artistic vision, which made my job as AD so much easier,” she explained. “And every morning, he’d gather the actors for meditation and prayer, helping them get in the mindset for the day. It made a huge difference for the tone and morale on set.”

Triumph of the Heart premiered in Poland on August 13th, followed by the U.S. premiere in Dallas on Sep. 8th. Through a grassroots effort, D’Ambrosio’s company Sherwood Fellows got the film into over 650 screens in the U.S. in September. Now, they are licensing the film for community screenings, encouraging parishes and schools to host events. Plans for distribution on streaming will follow in November.

Why should people see this film? “There’s so much negativity in the world right now,” said Gerlach. “And in many ways this film is dark, but there is a clear through-line of hope. You don’t often leave movies these days with that feeling.”

“It’s captivating because it shows St. Maximilian Kolbe as a real person,” added Sowa. “He wasn’t perfect—no saint is—but the film doesn’t shy away from the gritty reality of evil and the heroic choices that ordinary people can make. This story is beautiful for the soul and the eye, almost like a Caravaggio painting brought to life.”

If you’d like to see Triumph of the Heart on the big screen and bring this movie to your community, claim an exclusive screening at www.triumphoftheheart.com/communityscreening