Triumph of the Heart: The Passion of St. Maximilian Kolbe

Triumph of the Heart, a feature film on the last days of St. Maximilian Kolbe, releases in theaters on September 12, 2025.  This powerful and profoundly moving story of hope and healing in the midst of terrible darkness is a project that Dr. Italy’s ministry, Crossroads Initiative, has been a proud sponsor of during it’s development and now, distribution.  Below, learn more about not only the amazing message of Kolbe’s story, but the incredible effort and moving inspiration that brought this film into being.

From the beginning, the mission of the Crossroads Initiative has been to share the message of the Gospel through all forms of media, including the performing arts.  Through print, the internet, and the airwaves of radio and TV, we’ve sought to help others deepen their encounter with Jesus and their fellow travelers on this journey through life.  But recently, the Lord has seen fit to bring the Crossroads’ apostolate into a new realm – feature film!

During World War II, Maximilian Kolbe, a Polish Franciscan priest, was sent to Auschwitz like many of his fellow countrymen, after Germany overran Poland.  When a prisoner escaped from the camp in 1941, the Nazis selected 10 men for execution as retribution.  St. Maximilian volunteered to die in place of one of the selected prisoners, a man with a wife and children, who was a complete stranger to him.

While most films might end with Kolbe’s heroic sacrifice, Triumph of the Heart begins there.  It follows Kolbe and the other 9 prisoners sentenced to die in a starvation bunker, showing how hope and love can triumph even in the worst suffering and darkest places.

The film’s writer and director is Anthony D’Ambrosio, son of Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio, and no stranger to Crossroads.  He and his twin brother, Marcellino, were part of the Crossroads ministry for several years, and popular speakers for the young adult crowd.  The story of how Anthony’s encounter with St. Maximilian helped bring him through a time of darkness and despair, and inspired him to undertake the herculean effort to create this film, is well worth the read, and can be viewed by clicking below:

Not only has Crossroads Initiative been a major sponsor of this incredible film, but Dr. Italy himself, Marcellino D’Ambrosio, is one of the executive producers!

This page is still under construction, so check back frequently, we’ll be adding more content soon!  To see how you can get tickets to the film, or even host a screening at your local theater, visit:

kolbemovie.com