Thanks to Professor Ben Lawton and Leon "Italian Heritage" Radomile
with credit to Zoomata.com

Still another example of Italian Compassion:

Some 60 years ago, in the summer of 1943, Italian film director Vittorio De Sica, best known for "The Bicycle Thief," while filming "The Gate of Heaven" (La porta del cielo). hid 300 Jews and refugees on the film set, with the assistance of the Vatican, to keep them from deportation and certain death!!!
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ITALIAN DIRECTOR'S ''SHINDLER'S LIST HEROICS COME TO THE SCREEN

Italian film director Vittorio De Sica, best known for "The Bicycle Thief," hid 300 Jews and refugees on the set of a film to keep them from deportation. Now the dramatic story of what went on behind the scenes will be made into a film starring De Sica's son.

Some 60 years ago, in the summer of 1943, the director accepted an offer from the Vatican to shoot a film called "The Gate of Heaven" (La porta del cielo).

"The Gate of Heaven" was the story of a group of sick people on a pilgrimage to the Loreto Sanctuary in the province of Ancona, hoping for a miracle. The real miracle took place for a few hundred people, Italian Jews and other 'irregulars,' seeking refuge from the fascist regime -- De Sica hired them as fake extras, hid them and did all he could to stall filming.

About 60 of the refugees were carted off by furious lieutenant Pietro Koch one night from their hiding place in the church of San Paolo, but the majority were ensconced on the set until the end of the German occupation of Rome thanks to a secret agreement with a young Vatican official.

Christian De Sica, 52, a star better known for slapstick comedies than serious drama, will play his father in the film-about-the-film slated to be made next year. His father decided to shoot "The Gate of Heaven" to avoid becoming part of the fascist filmworks being set up by Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels in Venice -- even though he knew it wouldn't be a winner at the box office.

"Unfortunately the film, of which there's only one poor remaining copy, was released almost clandestinely," said Christian De Sica. "It wasn't a success and was heavily criticized. Dad used to say it would've taken an act of God to make it a success." The story of the making of the film, produced by Miramax, will likely have a better draw.

zoomata -- italian culture from italy - Italian Director's ''Shindler's List'' Heroics Come to the Screen
http://www.zoomata.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=954