History.
Chiara is a young Italian-American boxer, forged in the legendary Gleason’s Gym in New York City.
A terrible accident in the ring shatters his dreams, but through unwavering willpower, he is transformed into a modern “holy warrior.” Now he is ready to fight to find his place in the world again, among the streets of Brooklyn.
Thirty years old, born in the United States to parents originally from Mola di Bari, she trains at the gym in Muhammad Ali e Mike Tyson.
Filmmaker Ulysses Lendaro tells his story in a docufilm. Hers is a powerful and deeply contemporary story: Chiara, originally from Mola di Bari, grew up between Italian tradition and the American dream, trained at the legendary Gleason’s Gym , an iconic temple of New York boxing. A dramatic incident in the ring threatens to shatter her dreams, but she manages to rise from the ashes, transforming herself into a modern “warrior saint,” ready to fight to regain her place in the world.
It is an Italian production by Louis Lender Production Srl, founded by Ulisse Lendaro himself with his wife Anna Valle, an Italian actress and Miss Italy in 1995. It was co-written with screenwriter Gabriele Parodi. And it is made in collaboration with American TimeDigital and Indian distributor Jitendra Mishra by Cinema4Good.
This fascinating docufilm on the life of the 30-year-old boxer Chiara Dituri premiered on Thursday, March 13, just days before the star’s birthday.
The saint of Brooklyn is the latest work by director Ulysses Lendaro, in competition in the #FrameItalia section of Looks Elsewhere Women’s International Film Festival 2025.
This is not only the story of a young boxing hopeful on the rise, but the authentic tale of a great rebirth: in fact, after numerous difficulties, Chiara manages to find herself again through her passion for sports and through a renewed religious faith. It is a story of resilience that offers an opportunity to reflect extensively on the meaning of fighting, taken under scrutiny not only as a physical confrontation, but as an inner journey of growth and self-affirmation, demonstrating how wrong it is to consider martial arts a mere outlet for anger and frustration. They are not. Often these disciplines can become a valuable tool for understanding oneself and learning to face one’s fears.
“Ihe ring is the only place in the world where I paradoxically feel safe.” states Chiara
Her parents moved to New York at a very young age from Mola di Bari, Italy. Then the divorce, when she was six years old. In 2022 during a meeting she got a concussion that forced her to stop for a year and a half.
“It was not easy“ -the boxer recounts- “I had no hope […] and I did not believe I would improve.”
A neurologist followed her steadily on her road to recovery, monitoring her every improvement over the eighteen months of rehabilitation, during which Clare struggled hard to rebuild what she believed she had lost.
That is why she tattooed on her skin a passage from St. Paul’s letters to the Philippians: “I can all things in Christ who strengthens me.” and that is why she always carries a Bible in her duffle bag, in addition to her gloves.
“Faith in God is one of the few things that has always sustained me in times of difficulty ” he adds.
In the opening sequence of The Brooklyn saint can be seen dragging a cross on her shoulders, while the imposing New York City skyline can be seen in the background: “is the allegorical image of the ordeal that began in 2022 ” she recounts.
Director Ulysses Lendaro ( pictured here with his wife Anna Valle), is also famous for his participation in The Imperfect Age (2017), Human O.A.K. (2020) e En Pointe – On the Point (2019).
The film The Saint of Brooklyn, is now competing in several international festivals, including in Ny.
And today ( May 5) we know that he won as Best Docufilm the Film Festival at Coney Island.
- finalist at the 32nd edition of Milan’s historic all-female festival Sguardi Altrove – Women’s International Film Fest also coming out, for 5 days in streaming, on MyMovies One
- finalist at the Dumbo Film Festival in Brooklyn, as the only Italian title in competition (October 2025)
- finalist at New York’s East Village Film Festival March 2025
- Finalist at ConeyIsland Film Festival in New York , to be held May 2-4, 2025
- finalist at the Stockholm Film Festival
- Paris film festival finalist and winner
Trailer here: Vimeo Trailer
