Why would someone risk their own skin and family to do the right thing and protect another person's life? Don't Talk About It "introduces four characters whose personal stories reflect the larger, lesser known legend of Italians saving Jews and other refugees fleeing the Nazis during World War II. It also tells the story of the charismatic Italian sports icon and Tour de France champion Gino Batalli, whose role in this history has never been revealed in his lifetime. The four living characters in the movie are Italian children under fascist rule; Everyone was able to survive World War II thanks to Italians like Batali, who were willing to make the greatest sacrifice to help strangers escape Nazi persecution. The story of Gino Bartali, and the secret underground network he collaborated with, represents the story of thousands of Italians risking their lives to save others from arrest and death. Due to almost the entire continent being engulfed by genocide, this genocide claimed the lives of the majority of Jewish people (nearly 6 million) in Nazi occupied Europe, with over 80% of Italian Jews surviving. Like Batali, most rescue workers have never sought recognition or rewards. Few of the people he helped knew his name, nor did they know what role he played in the rescue. Bartali is a legendary cyclist, but his boldest victory came when he risked his life time and time again using bicycle frames to transport fake identity documents and engage in secret underground work to save Jews threatened by Nazi extermination.
