The Saint of Brooklyn is a 72-minute 2025 sports documentary produced in Italy and directed by Ulisse Lendaro. It recounts the human and athletic journey of Chiara, a young Italian-American woman raised at New York's celebrated Gleason’s Gym, one of the symbolic venues of world boxing.
The documentary's central theme is boxing, seen through the story of a promising ring fighter whose career comes to an abrupt halt after a serious accident during a bout. The film follows Chiara in her real life, showing training sessions, preparation and the competitive context in which she was beginning to emerge. The injury, which forces her to interrupt her sporting path, becomes the turning point of a narrative intertwining fall and rebirth.
Alongside Chiara Dituri, the documentary offers an intimate account made of testimony, archive images and footage of New York environments, with strong attention to the places and communities surrounding amateur and professional boxing. Chiara's “rebirth” comes through a new form of inner strength, also connected to the spiritual dimension that becomes integral to her identity. The film thus recounts her evolution from athlete to “spiritual warrior,” striving not only to regain a place in the ring but also to find a role in the Brooklyn neighbourhood.
The film's message insists on resilience, the ability to turn suffering into motivation, and the search for balance between physical determination and emotional strength. Through Chiara's story, it underlines the importance of personal faith and community as sources of support in the most complex moments.
From a production perspective, The Saint of Brooklyn was made by Ulisse Lendaro with Jitendra Mishra and Giannandrea Pecorelli. It is neither a student project nor the director's first work; he has already made titles such as L’Età Imperfetta and Human OAK. The film was completed on 5 January 2025 and shot entirely in the United States, especially in urban areas connected with New York boxing tradition. No information is provided about an official premiere or distributor.
Film Information
Title: The Saint of Brooklyn
Original title: La Santa di Brooklyn
Direction: Ulisse Lendaro
Production: Ulisse Lendaro, Jitendra Mishra, Giannandrea Pecorelli
Country: Italy
Language: English
Running time: 72 minutes
Genre: Documentary
Sport featured: Boxing
Main subject(s): Chiara Dituri
Completion date: 5 January 2025
Premiere: [Not specified]
Distributor: [Not specified]
Shooting format: Digital, colour
Director's first film: No
Student project: No