The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler DVD

The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler

The time is the dark years of World War II, the place Warsaw, Poland, the person Irena Sendler a Polish Catholic social worker, and an unlikely hero. Through her own initiative, and at great risk to her own life Irena Sendler saved 2,500 Jewish children from the Warsaw Ghetto-- from the Nazis and undeniable death. Based on the true story of Irena Sendler, a remarkable tale of courage and bravery comes to life in the film The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler. Starring Academy Award and Golden Globe winner Anna Paquin, award winning actress Maria Gay Harden, and Goran Visnjic comes a tale of mystery, bravery, and a secret battle against a powerful foe.

The Story

For years Irena Sendler (Anna Paquin) lived as any normal Polish citizen. She went to work-- as a social worker--came home, ate, slept, and went to church like a good Catholic. Her life, however, was dramatically changed the day the Nazis marched into town. Yet, hwe life was not as dramatically altered as the lives of the Jewish citizens. They, unlike her, were rounded up and placed in the Warsaw Ghetto-- a place of poverty, hunger, death, and illness. A place that lead to almost certain death. For years Irena had lived, studied, and worked beside her Jewish friends, and she could not stand by and do nothing. Irena, as portrayed in the film The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler decided to rescue the children. Rescuing children from a Jewish Ghetto is not easy, nor is it safe, and Irena was met with much resistance. Her family, friends, and even her parish priest argued that she would undoubtedly loose her life. The Jewish community was reluctant to part with their beloved children-- fearing they would never see them again. Yet, Irena was determined, she was persuasive, she was loving, and she had a plan. Using forged identification, and dressed as nurses, Irena and her small team managed to pass in and out of the Ghetto-- smuggling children out and hope in. Hiding any operation from the Nazis is a challenge in itself, however, as seen in The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler. Will Irena and her team be able to rescue the children of the Ghetto, or will they loose their own lives trying to save the lives of others?

Courage And Sacrifice

The film The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler based on a true story, is filled with positive values and lessons. Although not expressly a Christian film, many of the values in the film are Biblically based. Perhaps the largest lesson viewers can learn from Irena Sendler and her team's example in The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler is to be courageous. Courage-- defined as the ability or strength to do something though faced with fear, pain, or grief-- fills the story of Irena Sendler. Faced with almost certain death, Irena and her team bravely entered and left the Jewish Ghetto not once but hundreds of times, and not alone, but with hundreds of Jewish children. Irena herself is credited with singlehandedly saving the lives of approximately four hundred Jewish children. Sacrifice is another lesson viewers of all ages can learn from Irena's example in the film The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler. Irena was willing to sacrifice her life, if it meant saving the lives of others. Coupled together, courage and sacrifice are the heart of Irena's personality in The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler. Sacrifice and courage are not the only qualities Irena possessed. She was also filled with integrity and compassion. Not the least bit Jewish, Irena had no personal reason to risk her life to save those of the Jews, yet, she knew that the cruel suffering and fate of the Jews at the hands of the Nazis was wrong, and she was willing to act on her compassion. When integrity, compassion, sacrifice, and courage are all found in one individual, that is where you will find a hero-- that is where you will find Irena Sendler. Viewers of all ages will learn valuable lessons not only from Irena's actions in The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler, but also from the heart behind her actions. Though threatened by death, though faced by Nazi threats and guns, Irena never wavered in her compassion, her integrity, her courage, or her resolve to save the lives of those entrusted to her, though it cost her her own.

Sacrificial Love

Viewers will learn valuable lessons not only from Irena Sendler and her team in the film The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler. They will also learn from the heart and example of the Jewish community in the film. Although at first hesitant to hand their children over to Irena because they do not know they if they will ever see them again, the Jewish fathers and mothers realize one thing-- Irena can give their children a chance at life, and they cannot. Though painful and difficult the Jewish parents hand their children over to Irena's safekeeping, trusting that they will be protected. The Jewish parents are a wonderful example of sacrificial love-- sacrificing their own desires, and their lives, that their children might live. It is in many ways a real world example of God's sacrificial love for us.

Conclusion

Full of adventure, mystery, courage, and hope The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler brings to life the little known story of a courageous hero who risked her own life to save the lives of thousands of others. Based on a true, inspiring story The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler will encourage, inspire, and challenge viewers of all ages, and remind them that courage and compassion go hand in hand more often than not.

The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler has not been rated by the Motion Picture Association of America and may include violence and other topics and issues not suitable for younger viewers. As always, it is recommend that parents preview all content to determine what is suitable for their children.