The Saint of
Staten Island

Elissa Montanti is not a doctor, not a politician, not a celebrity. She is a woman from Staten Island who decided that the suffering of children halfway around the world was her responsibility — and then did something about it.

"One person can change everything — if they refuse to look away."

For over 30 years, Elissa has been doing the impossible. Through her nonprofit, the Global Medical Relief Fund, she has brought more than 500 children from 67 countries to the United States for life-changing medical care — children who lost limbs or eyes, suffered severe burns, or were shattered by war, disaster, and illness.

At the center of this film are four children from Tanzania — Pendo, Magolo, Emmanuel, and Baraka — who came to America seeking healing and a chance at life. But as their medical treatment continues, a new and terrifying threat has emerged: in an America where ICE agents are pulling people off the streets, Elissa is racing against time to secure asylum for the four children in her care.

The Saint of Staten Island is the story of a woman who has always believed that love is stronger than bureaucracy, that compassion can outlast policy, and that one person — fighting hard enough, for long enough — can change the world.

Anyone can become a Saint.