Julio Torres’ feature film, Problemista, was supposed to arrive in theaters last summer but was delayed due to the Hollywood labor strikes. However, the film has finally settled on a new release date, and it’s very close.
From the promotional materials released so far, it seems that Problemista will capture the signature surrealist comedy style of Torres, who wrote, directed, and stars in the upcoming film. Torres is best known for his work on variety shows, talk shows, and sketch comedies, including The Chris Gethard Show, SNL, and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. He gained further recognition when he collaborated with Fred Armisen and Ana Fabrega on the HBO comedy series Los Espookys and headlined his own comedy special on the network, My Favorite Shapes—both of which received critical acclaim.
Now, Torres is adding directing to his list of talents and mixing it with the writing and acting skills he’s picked up over the years to bring audiences Problemista. Torres’ feature debut was produced by A24, which swept the 95th Oscars with Everything Everywhere All at Once. Having backing from the studio behind so many critically acclaimed films certainly bodes well for Problemista, and early reviews following the world premiere at the SXSW film festival are phenomenal; the film currently holds a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
With Torres’ quirky comedic style, a strong cast, the backing of A24, and stellar early reviews, Problemista has quite a bit of potential. Here’s everything we know about the film so far.
Problemista has a new release date
Initially, Problemista was set to premiere on August 4, 2023. However, it was removed completely from the 2023 release schedule during the labor strikes. Months passed with no updates until A24 finally made an announcement on January 18, 2024. The announcement video sees Torres receiving a phone call from Tilda Swinton via a conch shell. During the conversation, Torres shares the good knews that Problemista is coming to select theaters on March 1, 2024. According to Variety, the wide theatrical release is set for March 22.
The announcement video was a fun way to remind viewers of the upcoming film, especially since it has now been seven whole months since the official trailer dropped.
The trailer sees Torres as an immigrant named Alejandro, whose time is running out to find a sponsor for his work visa. Alejandro takes a nightmare job working for an eccentric “monster” art curator, believing it’s the only option he has to remedy his immigration woes. The surrealist elements are scattered about the trailer—people whose visas have expired disappear into thin air, characters climb through mazes of cubicles, and America and El Salvador are treated as two different worlds. There are smaller and more subtle details, too, that give the Problemista trailer a peculiar dream-like feeling.
Who stars in Problemista?
Torres leads the cast as Alejandro, a young immigrant from El Salvador who has a passion for designing toys. However, he is struggling to grasp the American dream while living in New York with an expired visa and financial instability. Starring alongside Torres is Academy Award-winning actress Tilda Swinton as Elizabeth, the art curator who Alejandro is relying on to sponsor his work visa. One character describes her as a “monster,” and the label doesn’t seem too far off. Elizabeth is actually an immigrant, too, but she shows fairly little sympathy and understanding for Alejandro.
Blue Velvet star Isabella Rossellini will appear in Problemista as the unnamed narrator. She can be heard narrating parts of the trailer and describing Alejandro’s origins in her typically smooth, rich, and mesmerizing tone. 12 Strong star Laith Nakil will also be appearing in the film as Khalil, the immigration services worker who is keeping track of the time Alejandro has until his work visa expires. The Maid‘s Catalina Saavedra was spotted in the trailer, too; she plays Alejandro’s mother, Dolores, who has recurring dreams of his departure to the States and the struggles he will face. Meanwhile, Titans star James Scully will portray Bingham, who is seen warning Alejandro about Elizabeth.
American rapper and actor RZA is also slated to appear in the film as a character named Bobby, though few details are known about his role. Rounding out the cast are Greta Lee as Dalia, Larry Owens as Craigslist, Kelly McCormack as Sharon, Spike Einbinder as Spray, and Megan Stalter as Lili.
What is Problemista about?
Problemista follows the story of Alejandro, a young boy who grew up in El Salvador in the safe environment that his mother provided for him. As an adult, he heads off to New York to pursue his dream of becoming a toy designer. When Alejandro finds himself out of a job, he is forced to work for Elizabeth in hopes of extending his work visa. It sounds quite simple, but the film captures how overly complicated and frustrating the immigration system can be. Alejandro is told nonsensical things, like that he has to “pay fees to make money” and navigate an impossible maze just to get to work and stay in the United States.
Considering that Torres immigrated from El Salvador to New York to pursue a career in comedy writing, he knows firsthand the difficulties and absurdities of the United States immigration system. Through Problemista, he will have the opportunity to share his interpretation of the immigrant experience and the journey to self-discovery through a humorous and satirical lens.
(featured image: A24)
