'The ZooKeeper's Wife' Highlights Heroic Acts of Christian Couple Who Helped Jews Escape Nazis
"The ZooKeeper's Wife" hits theaters this Friday and although faith is left out of the movie, the film is the real life story behind the heroic efforts of two devout Christians.
"The Zookeeper's Wife" follows Jan and Antonina Żabiński, two Christian zookeepers who risked their lives to save and shelter over 300 Jews from the Nazis in Poland during World War II. "At a time when everyone lived in fear, Jan and Antonina refused to stand aside in the face of injustice – they resisted and stood against evil. The State of Israel would later honor the Żabińskis as Righteous Among the Nations," the film description reads.
The inspiring movie is action packed and will undoubtedly leave viewers with a sense of wanting to model after the Żabińskis and help their fellow man. What is not showcased on the big screen, however, is the devout Christian faith that empowered the zookeepers who were behind these heroic acts.
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With subtle hints of a strong sense of good family morals and sacrificial love for others regardless of the risk, "The ZooKeeper's Wife" stays away from the spiritual side of things and instead details a condensed version of what it was like for six years living on the edge of facing execution if caught.
In a faith featurette shared with The Christian Post, the lead actress of the film, Jessica Chastain who plays Antonina Żabiński, talks about the Christian themes of "hope and love" that her character displays throughout the film.
"Antonina Is an incredible example of a hero. I think we do have a stereotype that in order to be strong or brave it has to be connected to violence ... But there are so many other ways where someone can be brave and strong," Chastain explained. "Antonina shows that compassion is an incredible form of strength. It's a movie about hope and about family and about love. What it shows is that no matter how dark life can be, love is always be there and you can find it."
Nationally syndicated radio host and conservative columnist Hugh Hewitt also shared his thoughts on the film, calling it "a powerful and breathtaking movie!"
Hewitt explained in the clip that the Focus Features film serves as a reminder that true heroism is within us all.
"The movie captures perfectly the moral decision thrust upon every bystander to remain a bystander or to become a participant. That's actually relevant to everybody's life every single day and they have to decide which side of the line they're going to be on," he commented.
For more information on "The Zookeeper's Wife," visit the website.
