Julio Torres stars and directs “Problemista,” his debut film. The film has released its first trailer, depicting a surreal yet grounded take on an immigration story, with the many wrinkles and charms that are expected from a Torres-led project.
“Problemista” tells the story of Alejandro (Torres), a toy maker from El Salvador whose visa is running out. To stay in the country, Alejandro asks his boss Elizabeth, (Tilda Swinton) a strange and demanding British artist, to co-sign his visa. The film co-stars Isabella Rossellini, Greta Lee, James Scully, and more.
Torres has been nominated for four Emmys. He’s previously worked for Saturday Night Live and, most notably, “Los Espookys ,” which he co-created and wrote. The HBO series followed a group of offbeat characters in Latin America that created spooky thrills and situations for their weird clients. “Problemista” feels like the natual progression of his work, which is strange, comedic, filled with surrealism, and with geniune and truthful depictions of life as an immigrant and an artist.
“Problemista” debuted at SXSW this year, where it was met with acclaim. The film was acquired by A24 and is slated for theatrical release this August 4th.
