Ben Rekhi on Alessandra de Rossi: “She can win an Oscars one day”
Indian-American filmmaker Ben Rekhi says Alessandra de Rossi’s acting is of Oscars’ caliber in their new movie Watch List. In an interview with PUSH.com during their press conference, the director shared his working experience with one of the most-awarded Filipina actresses of her generation.
“It was actually a very beautiful experience doing Watch List. The cast and the whole team are very supportive and the crew were willing to be so giving and supportive of their time,” he said.
“Alessandra’s talent is something I’ve never seen before. Jake (Acuna), who is very well known in Hollywood for his work in ‘Metro Manila,’ brought a level of intensity that is going to surprise people. Art Acuña is also a force of nature.
One of the breakout performances is Micko Laurente who plays Alessandra’s teenage son. I think he’s just going to absolutely break people’s hearts,” he added.
Oscars’ Caliber
The filmmaker praises Alessandra’s acting ability. As a matter of fact, he believes that her performance in the said movie is Academy Award-worthy.
“I’ve worked with a lot of actresses in the West even like Academy award-winners and the level of talent that Alessandra brought to this film is incredible, it’s very unique.
“I think she’s a national treasure in cinema. I think she can win an Oscars one day. She’s truly one of the great actresses here and in the world, so I felt very fortunate to work with people like Alessandra and other who were not only incredibly talented but very kind people,” he emphasized.
However, Alessandra wasn’t there to personally hear all the praises from her director.
Watch List tells the story of a woman whose husband is killed and must now take on the role of a family breadwinner and protector.
“It’s a very human story. At its most basic, it’s about the lengths to which a mother will go to protect her children.
“The beautiful thing about cinema is its universal language and it’s a window to the human condition and so whether the film is in Tagalog or English there’s a certain truth in the human experience, that’s the great thing about cinema, and it can breakdown the lives, allow you to walk in someone else’s shoes,” Ben shared.
Award-winning film
On the other hand, Watch List has made rounds in many international film festivals, namely the Deauville American Film Festival, Seattle International Film Festival, Bahamas International Film Festival, International Film Festival of India, Nashville Film Festival and Mill Valley Film Festival.
In fact, it recently won the Most Disturbing Fiction Film Award at the 2020 Tournai Ramdam Festival in Belgium.
Catch Watch List in cinemas starting on February 19, 2020. The film is produced by Reality Entertainment and XYZ Films.
