US immigration puzzle centre stage in Problemista: movie’s stars Tilda Swinton and Julio Torres on the surreal New York saga

Julio Torres directs and stars in surreal New York saga Problemista, which sees a toy designer from El Salvador ensnared in a US immigration Catch-22

He and co-star Tilda Swinton talk about the movie, from where the idea for it came from to Torres’ desire to ‘stay true to my lived experience in New York’

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Problemista director and actor Julio Torres and co-star Tilda Swinton dive deep into the movie, a surreal New York-set saga, and its focus on the nightmares of the United States immigration system. Photo: AP

Published: 11:15am, 8 Mar 2024

Julio Torres mined his own life and experiences to make his feature directorial debut Problemista, in which he plays an aspiring toy designer from El Salvador caught in the nightmarish Catch-22 of the US immigration system.

His character Alejandro desperately needs someone to sponsor his work visa, and he thinks he may have found that person in Tilda Swinton’s Elizabeth, a caustic, put-upon art critic.

Together they embark on a wild, surreal New York odyssey of setbacks, bureaucratic nonsense, and art world characters all trapped in their own mazes.

Swinton was already a fan of Torres, who is from El Salvador, by the time she was sent the vibrant script and was one of the ones encouraging Torres to direct it himself. But she was worried she could not play Elizabeth. Here, they talk about Problemista, to be released on Apple TV+, the turning point for Swinton, and putting their own stamp on New York films.

Julio Torres and Tilda Swinton in a still from Problemista. Photo: courtesy of A24/TNS

Julio, where did this idea start for you?