{"id":302,"date":"2024-04-08T12:12:22","date_gmt":"2024-04-08T16:12:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/latestnews\/?p=302"},"modified":"2024-04-08T12:12:22","modified_gmt":"2024-04-08T16:12:22","slug":"irenas-vow-an-incredible-story-of-faith-and-heroism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/latestnews\/2024\/04\/08\/irenas-vow-an-incredible-story-of-faith-and-heroism\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Irena’s Vow’ an Incredible Story of Faith and Heroism"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
“Irene’s Vow” stars Sophie N\u00e9lisse and Dougray Scott. Image courtesy of Elevation Pictures and Quiver Distribution.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The amazing life of Irene Gut, depicted in the new motion picture \u201cIrena\u2019s Vow,\u201d releases to theaters April 15-16. But her story of heroism, tragedy and determination was almost never told. When she immigrated to the United States in the 1950s, leaving behind the horrors of World War II, Irene defiantly placed a \u201cDo Not Disturb\u201d banner on everything she left behind. She married, gave birth to a daughter, and became an interior decorator. Not even her then-14-year-old daughter Jeannie knew that her beautiful, sweet, normal mother had saved lives during the Holocaust\u2026 until a random phone call changed everything.<\/p>\n

Irene, her husband, and her daughter were having dinner when the phone rang. On the other line was a young college student taking surveys of people to support his theory that the Holocaust never actually happened. This lit a fire in Irene and opened floodgates of memories.<\/p>\n

“These words started coming out,\u201d Smith recalls. \u201cAt 14, you don\u2019t really pay much attention to your parents, but I realized she had seen some incredible things. (The man on the phone) finally hung up on her and she looked at my dad and me and said, \u2018All these years that I’ve kept silent, I’ve allowed the enemy to win\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

The story, according to the film\u2019s star Sophia N\u00e9lisse who later observed, after reading the script, was \u201cimpossible\u201d to believe. In 1939, Irene Gut was training to be a nurse. As Poland and her own house are invaded by Nazis, she was recruited to oversee a new laundry labor force of Jews. As the Nazis\u2019 true intentions toward the Jews became more apparent, she moves to save the lives of those in her employment by hiding and feeding them at great peril to herself. Smith said her mother\u2019s extraordinary actions were driven by her faith in God.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe believed that if she had the opportunity and God opened the door, she would walk through it,\u201d Smith explains. \u201cHer life was in his hands. She certainly had moments where it was terrifying and fearful, but mostly because of the potential harm that could come to her friends. But she truly put herself in God’s hands, so she was able to honestly rest in that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Upon hearing her story, award-winning screenwriter Dan Gordon (\u201cWyatt Earp,\u201d \u201cMurder in the First\u201d) crafted a play that debuted in 2009 to rave reviews. Years later, he adapted it to a motion picture directed by Louise Archambault and starring N\u00e9lisse as Irene and Dougray Scott as Nazi officer Eduard R\u00fcgeme.<\/p>\n

N\u00e9lisse, currently starring in the Showtime series \u201cYellowjackets,\u201d was so impacted by Irene\u2019s ability to \u201csee the best in people and the best in life, despite everything she had been through.\u201d Though Irene\u2019s life was filled with extraordinary events, the actress says she\u2019s inspired to do even the little things to help make life better for others.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe is a perfect example that the tiny little actions which can seem so mundane, can go a long way and have a ripple effect,\u201d she says. \u201cAnd I think that now daily, I am more cautious of just doing little things smiling to someone or complimenting someone or helping them.\u201d<\/p>\n

N\u00e9lisse also wanted to honor Irene by doing her best. She leaned on Gordon\u2019s guidance, who assured her she was doing justice to her memory. Smith also praised her depiction as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I saw Sophie as my mom, it was exactly how I pictured what she was in my mind (as a young woman),\u201d she said. \u201cI see her eyes, I see her expressions and her energy, everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

Irene Gotz, memorialized in literature, stage, and screen, also has a place in Holocaust memorials as one who saved the lives of Jews. Smith says her mother always \u201chated the term \u2018hero\u2019\u201d because she felt it made the designation too special and perhaps unachievable by those on the sidelines. For her, it was ordinary people rising up to help others.<\/p>\n

\u201cHaving my mother\u2019s voice and story told through the movie \u2018Irena\u2019s Vow,\u2019 is an honor for me,\u201d she says. \u201cI pray many are inspired by her message of love and courage and become willing to take up the torch and pass it on.\u00a0 One person can make a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIrene\u2019s Vow\u201d releases in theaters on April 15-16 through Fathom Events.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The amazing life of Irene Gut, depicted in the new motion picture \u201cIrena\u2019s Vow,\u201d releases to theaters April 15-16. But her story of heroism, tragedy and determination was almost never told. When she immigrated to the United States in the 1950s, leaving behind the horrors of World War II, Irene defiantly placed a \u201cDo Not…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":683,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-302","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n'Irena's Vow' an Incredible Story of Faith and Heroism<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The amazing life of Irene Gut, depicted in the new motion picture \u201cIrena\u2019s Vow,\u201d releases to theaters April 15-16. 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