Meet Sara Alessandrini | Filmmaker & political commentator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sara Alessandrini and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sara, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
It was a very impulsive decision for me. At that point in my life, I was not planning to make a movie, and even less planning to finance any venture by myself. Back in 2021, I was following New York politics, even though I live in Los Angeles and had never lived in New York, and I noticed how the media covered the resignation of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. I felt that the coverage was biased and overly sensationalized. Politicians and the news media kept speaking for New Yorkers and eventually pressured Cuomo to resign, but New Yorkers themselves never really got a chance to voice their opinions.

In New York, there is no recall system like in California, so voters didn’t have the power to decide whether their governor should stay or resign, as Californians did with the recent recall effort against Newsom. In New York, that power lay with politicians. When Cuomo resigned, I felt I had to do something, and since I am a filmmaker, I decided to travel around New York State and listen to what New Yorkers had to say.

While the project initially started as being only about Cuomo, as I spoke with New Yorkers, the conversations naturally expanded into broader social topics such as due process, media bias, political division, cancel culture, and women’s empowerment. I originally made the project as a feature documentary, but after seeing the reception at film festivals, I decided to expand it into a five-part docuseries, which I ultimately released in 2025 on streaming platforms.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I think what sets me apart from others is that I am not afraid to walk my own path, even when it is not understood by others and when the challenges and risks involved are not very appealing to the average person. I am not afraid to do what I feel is right, even when most people disagree with me. Because of this, it has always been challenging for me to find collaborators who fully shared my path, so early on—from my first days in film school until now—I learned how to do everything on my own.

I have worked in various departments across different productions, and as a result, I was able to handle the making of this docuseries largely by myself, including filming, video editing, audio design, and all the other necessary roles required to take a production to the finish line. It wasn’t easy to manage everything on my own while also having a full-time job, but knowing that this project was something I truly believed in, and that it was a conversation worth having, helped me push through the challenges day after day.

I’ve learned many lessons over the years, but two stand out the most: get a lawyer early if you’re going to make a movie, and learn to believe in yourself even when others don’t. What I want the world to know about me and my story is that I am not afraid to have hard conversations and take risks.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Since I’m Italian, if my friends came to visit me, the focus of the itinerary would definitely be food. I’d start by taking them to some of the iconic spots first—Hollywood, Santa Monica, Rodeo Drive, and Venice Beach—since most of my friends know Los Angeles through movies. In Santa Monica, I’d take them to Bubba Gump to eat lots of shrimp.

In Hollywood, I’d show them the Egyptian Theatre, a theater I managed for many years, then grab a latte at Javista, followed by lunch at Running Goose or a burger at Stout. I’d also take them to Los Feliz, go for a hike to the Griffith Observatory, and stop by the Philosophical Research Society bookstore.

I’d make sure to bring them to Fairfax as well. We’d get a pastry at Canter’s, walk over to The Grove for a pizza slice at Chill’s Since ’93, then continue on to LACMA and the Academy Museum, and end the day with Ethiopian food at Messob. And of course, no one comes to visit me in Los Angeles without going to Koreatown for Korean BBQ—to eat lots of galbi and kimchi, and anywhere to eat tacos from a taco stand or truck.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Making this documentary was a very challenging and often lonely effort, but I am incredibly grateful to my lawyers, Chris Perez and Herlinda Castagnoli from Donaldson Callif Perez. They worked closely with me on this project and supported me through some very challenging moments. Through their practical and legal guidance, they also helped me sharpen my message and ultimately made the documentary stronger.

Website: https://www.thisiswhatnewyorkerssay.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lasava.alessandrini/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-alessandrini-b38793117/

Twitter: https://x.com/diswhatnyerssay

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThisisWhatNewYorkersSay/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thisiswhatnewyorkerssay

Other: https://saraalessandrini.substack.com/
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5497267/

Image Credits
Matteo Bezzi
Sara Alessandrini