- Title: Argentine star Lali as you've never seen her before in "Acusada"
- Date: 5th September 2018
- Summary: VENICE, ITALY (SEPTEMBER 4, 2018) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** ACTRESS AND SINGER LALI ESPOSITO ARRIVING ON RED CARPET WITH DIRECTOR GONZALO TOBAL ESPOSITO, TOBAL AND ACTOR LEONARDO SBARAGLIA ARRIVING ON RED CARPET MEDIA / ESPOSITO, TOBAL AND SBARAGLIA ON RED CARPET TOBAL, ESPOSITO AND SBARAGLIA POSING FOR PHOTOS ESPOSITO POSING FOR PHOTOS PHOTOGRAPHE
- Embargoed: 19th September 2018 16:10
- Keywords: singer Lali Esposito Acusada movie The Accused film Venice Film Festival director Gonzalo Tobal actor Leonardo Sbaraglia
- Location: VENICE, ITALY AND VARIOUS FILM LOCATIONS
- City: VENICE, ITALY AND VARIOUS FILM LOCATIONS
- Country: Italy
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Film
- Reuters ID: LVA0018WCP74D
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Argentine star Lali Esposito turned heads as she arrived at the Venice Film Festival on Tuesday (September 4).
The singer and actress wore a figure-hugging, backless silver dress as she walked the red carpet for the world premiere of her new film "Acusada" ("The Accused").
The movie, by director Gonzalo Tobal, centres on Esposito's character Dolores who is preparing to stand trial for her best friend's brutal murder. She is the only person accused of the crime which took place after a party at her friend's house, while Dolores is believed to have been sleeping in an adjacent room.
Protective and controlling, Dolores's parents keep her under tight watch, while the media also follow her every move.
Esposito, who gained fame as a child star on Argentinean television, said the troubled character allowed her to explore hidden emotions. The part was a stark departure from her earlier roles, she added.
"It was difficult, very difficult, I'm not going to lie, it was difficult to find it in me, I worked very hard before the shoot, before we started filming. It was super…being in this film nourished me, as an actress it was very incredible, the work itself and getting to explore certain emotional places I did not know before. So it was very interesting to do something so different," she said.
The 26-year-old said she could relate with the media circus revolving around Dolores.
"What I found interesting is that at a certain point Dolores is a rock star, she becomes something of a rock star because of the crime, not like a real one. And having all this energy directed at you and how people point at you and want to know all about you, that's the only thing in common that I had with her. The people think they know you and people think they can judge your life and you, just because (you're famous)," she told Reuters Television the day after the movie premiered at the Venice Film Festival.
It was the media interest and portrayal of crime cases in Argentina in other countries that prompted Tobal to make the movie. He said he wanted to focus on what was not shown on television.
"The film comes from me observing, with some surprise or astonishment, the way the crime cases are treated by the media and constructed almost as if they were staged and edited like they were a reality show or a telenovela which we consume as fiction. And watching it, while I am aware as a director of all the work that may be taking place behind their narration of the events, I am attracted to it and follow it like a fictional tale. This peculiarity prompted me to write a movie that deals with the other side of things, the backstage so to say," he said.
Actor Leonarda Sbaraglia plays Esposito's father Luis in the film. While he goes into overdrive to protect his daughter, Luis also struggles to communicate with the young woman.
"I have a 12-year-old daughter and fatherhood continues to remain a mystery to me. I believe there is so much to learn about our children and in this case it proposes a whole new world, a new language, a new culture and you need to be really open minded," Sbaraglia said.
"Acusada" is one of 21 films vying for the coveted Golden Lion award at this year's Venice Film Festival which runs through September 8. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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