Dmitriy Salita, a twentysomething professional boxer and Orthodox Jew, is a Ukrainian immigrant who began training at a Brooklyn gym when he was 13, eventually winning the New York City Golden Gloves competition and the junior amateur national championship before turning pro at 19 in 2001. Jason Hutt's documentary profile features interviews with the fighter, his father, his brother, crotchety trainer Jimmy O'Pharrow, and Dmitriy's religious instructors, but the bulk of the narrative follows his professional progress through mid-2005, when he won the North American Boxing Association's light welterweight championship. Excellent footage of his bouts—amply attesting to his strength and tenacity—is interlaced with coverage of the business side of his boxing career, with an emphasis on changes in trainers and promoters. But what sets the film apart from similar fare is the attention paid to accommodations necessary for the young man's religious beliefs, including not scheduling matches on the Sabbath, avoiding having a promotional bottle of beer placed before him at a press conference, and preparing kosher food in hotel rooms. Outside the ring, Salita comes off as a likable but decidedly low-key figure in distinct contrast to his aggressive stance during fights. An intriguing portrait of a boxer sometimes advertised as the “Star of David,” DVD extras include audio commentary by Hutt, deleted scenes, and a 2008 update on the still-undefeated Salita. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)
Orthodox Stance
(2008) 82 min. DVD: $24.95. Oxbow Lakes Films (dist. by IndiePix). Volume 24, Issue 2
Orthodox Stance
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