SF Jewish Film Festival: Million Dollar Baby Meets Crown Heights
Posted by lchaimlover on August 1, 2007
Dmitry Salita
This evening at the Aquarius Theatre, I took in a documentary called “The Orthodox Stance”. This documentary centers around young boxer Dmitry Salita, who is also an Orthodox Jew. From the rings of Atlantic City to davening at 770 (Chabad headquarters in Crown Heights) the camera follows Dmitry through the first four years of his professional boxing career. This is a young man with three values, family, G-d, and boxing, and never does he waver in who he is. [watch the video trailer]
As an Italian, I have to say I have always been partial to boxing. As a Jew, I had no reason to be so excited about boxing until now. With a Magen David patch sewn to his silk shorts, and Matisyahu singing him into the ring, Salita is obviously proud of who he is, and this sentiment rubs off on the viewer.
From a story telling point of view, the movie drags a bit, but it nicely builds the tension by working slowly up to Salita’s big fight for the National Boxing Title. It’s a movie well worth renting to rev up your Jewish sports enthusiasm. Even if you aren’t a boxing fan, you’ll be at the edge of your seat by the final fight.
You can still catch “Orthodox Stance” at the SF Jewish Film Festival on August 4th in San Rafael.
