A five-part series examining the shift in media coverage on former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. Starting in 2020 when he was initially praised for his response to the COVID-19 pandemic, through his resignation in 2021 amidst sexual harassment allegations, and all the legal battles that took place in the following years.  

The series further explores the public perception of these events through conversations with New Yorkers where they discuss their thoughts on Cuomo and share their criticisms on the media and the Democratic Party’s handling of these events. New Yorkers also weigh in on the role of the Me Too movement in empowering women and how much work still needs to be done in our society.

Originally created as a feature documentary, it was later re-edited and expanded with an intro episode that showcases archival footage. The feature documentary version was screened in multiple festivals and won several awards in 2022. 

Episodes

  • This episode examines the shift in media coverage on Andrew Cuomo from 2020 through his resignation amidst sexual harassment allegations, and all the legal battles that took place in the following years, until the beginning of 2025 when he announced his candidacy for mayor of NYC. Was Cuomo the target of a political hit job?


  • New Yorkers discuss the circumstances that forced New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to resign from office and their opinion of him as governor. Was Cuomo the people’s governor?

  • New Yorkers vent on the Democratic Party and the media for the way they handled the situation in New York. They also discuss due process and the dangers of a society where due process is not given to all people equally. Was Cuomo given due process? 

  • New Yorkers talk about the Me Too movement and all the progress women have achieved over the past 50 years. We have come a long way, but how far do we still need to go? Is the Me Too Movement really empowering women? 

  • New Yorkers talk about our society, how social media affects our interpersonal relationships and how it fuels cancel culture. Was Cuomo a victim of cancel culture and targeted unjustly? 

Director’s BIO

Sara Alessandrini is an Italian filmmaker based in Los Angeles. 

With a background in electronics and telecommunications, she dropped out of engineering studies at the University of Bologna to pursue a career in the film industry. 

She obtained a degree in filmmaking at the Academy of Cinema and Television in Cinecittá, Rome in 2012. After working for a few years in the Italian movie industry and a brief time living in Australia, she moved to Los Angeles in 2015. 

She worked for the American Cinematheque as the Facility Manager until 2023, where she managed the Egyptian Theatre, the oldest movie theatre in Hollywood and site of the world’s first movie premiere. 

She also obtained a degree in Business Administration at International American University, and she is now a consultant for the Philosophical Research Society, providing her expertise on over 800 events, including conferences, film screenings, film shoots, magic shows, and concerts.

In 2025, she is releasing This is What New Yorkers Say, a self-produced five-part documentary series that examines the shift in media coverage on Former NY Governor Andrew Cuomo, starting in 2020 and going all the way to 2025. The series explores the public’s perception throughout the events of these years using interviews with everyday New Yorkers where they also discuss the state of the Democratic Party, the media and the Me Too movement.

Sara firmly believes that movies should leave the audience with more questions than answers.