Michel Franco believes Jessica Chastain is the "best actress in the world".

The 'Mexican' filmmaker insisted it was a "no-brainer" to cast the 'Eyes of Tammy Faye' star in the lead role of social worker Sylvia in his latest movie 'Memory' because she is so talented.

He gushed to Variety: “Jessica is possibly the best actress in the states right now, it’s not an exaggeration to say she’s the best actress in the world."

Jessica stars in the film opposite Peter Sarsgaard, and the director revealed the suggestion to cast the actor as Saul came from the Oscar-winning beauty herself.

Michel said: “I wanted to make that decision with Jessica, because, it’s so important, the chemistry and the whole film relies on the tension of those characters."

The director previously shot 'Chronic' in Los Angeles and made 'Memory' in New York, and plans to keep making films in both the US and in Mexico in the future.

He said: “I’ll do both and maybe I’ll also make films in other places.

“It is very tempting to keep working with such talented actors, like Jessica and Peter and ['Chronic' star] Tim Roth, and every other talented actor that’s based in the States, not necessarily American. That’s what gets me back time and again.

"And also fact that we’re neighbours — it is only a four-hour flight from Mexico City to New York.

"We’re all North Americans and we have a very complex relationship as countries so it comes naturally in many ways.”

The filmmaker loves to tell the stories of outsiders, which he attributes to his own experiences growing up.

He said: "I’m fascinated by outsiders, I think the most interesting characters are those that don’t fit.

“As a teenager, I was always feeling that I had been born in the wrong place — I never felt quite in the right place. And I think that turned me into a filmmaker. That fed my curiosity and it’s always more interesting when people don’t simply accept their environment and are creating something, not just saying ‘yes’ to whatever came their way.”