Few people know about the countless numbers of Italians who rescued Jews and other refugees fleeing Nazis during World War II.
But a new documentary called 'My Italian Secret: The Forgotten Heroes', is shedding light.
With Catholics celebrating Easter on Sunday and Passover beginning for Jews around the world on Saturday, this seems like the perfect time to tell you about the new documentary that celebrates a time when the two faiths came together during the Holocaust.
It is billed as 'an untold story of courage', and that's no exaggeration. The documentary explains how Catholics in Italy saved thousands of Jews during World War II.
"There was such a strong personal story of courage and commitment," said writer and director Oren Jacoby, who found Jewish survivors, then reunited them with their protectors.
"We followed this woman Charlotte, now in her eighties who had been a small child who had been saved by an entire village in Northern Italy," he said. "It's very much a film about children and their memories of war and the trauma that happened to them."
Her story and those of others are told through the eyes of the saved and their saviors with a few tasteful recreations to bridge the gap in the narrative.
One who helped was a champion who hid forged documents in his bike, and transported papers that would allow Jews to escape.
Like other Italians, Gino Bartalli didn't want credit for what he had done, which is why this story has remained untold for so long.
"The courage of these people to risk their lives, to do everything they could to save a stranger is still astonishing to me," said Jacoby.
One of the joys of this job is the chance to throw a big spotlight on a small movie. Such is the case here, but you can't see it on TV.
"My Italian Secret" can be seen at Cinema Village on East 12th Street in the Village.