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NPR’s A Martinez talks to Julio Torres, author, director and star of the brand new film Problemista, about an aspiring toy designer struggling to navigate the U.S. immigration system.
A MARTÍNEZ, BYLINE: Let me let you know about one other A Martinez. Alejandro Martinez is the principle character in a brand new movie, “Problemista.” It is written by Julio Torres, who’s greatest identified for writing a number of the most absurd “Saturday Evening Reside” sketches lately. “Problemista” is about an aspiring toymaker in New York, initially from El Salvador. Whereas he waits for Hasbro to provide him his dream job, he struggles to remain in the USA as he navigates the convoluted system for buying a piece visa.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, “PROBLEMISTA”)
LAITH NAKLI: (As Khalil) You bought to get one other sponsor pronto, rapido. You could have a month to search out somebody to co-sign your visa, and when you do not, it’s a must to depart the U.S.
JULIO TORRES: (As Alejandro) Yeah. I have been engaged on that. I began freelancing for this girl. It’s going to simply be a couple of hours right here and there.
NAKLI: (As Khalil) Look, different factor is, you’ll be able to’t take cash proper now. I hope this girl’s not paying you.
TORRES: (As Alejandro) What do you imply?
NAKLI: (As Khalil) You possibly can’t take cash till they formally sponsor you.
MARTÍNEZ: That girl is Elizabeth, performed by Tilda Swinton, and he or she’s one of the intense, nightmarish bosses you will have ever seen or heard of. Along with writing and directing “Problemista,” Torres additionally performs Alejandro, and he is aware of from expertise that the real-life visa system is much more weird than any of his “Saturday Evening Reside” sketches.
TORRES: If you’re making use of for a piece visa, that signifies that you legally can’t settle for cash. Nonetheless, paying for this visa is dear. It is hundreds of {dollars}. So you then’re on this place the place it is like, oh, I assume I ought to have simply pulled $6,000 out of my butt (laughter) and, like, not need to work for it. Like, is that the way it works? And it is like…
MARTÍNEZ: Yeah.
TORRES: What’s irritating is that the system is designed to need the immigrant to show away at each step, to surrender and be like, you realize what? That is too arduous. Goodbye. It is as if what they’re saying is, when you aren’t already wealthy, we do not need you right here.
MARTÍNEZ: Yeah.
TORRES: It is this maze-like state of affairs. It is a Catch-22 upon a Catch-22.
MARTÍNEZ: You realize, I obtained to say, Julio, I am desirous about all of the those that I do know which have handled this, and so they’re, like, consistently wired as a result of they’re making an attempt to remain on this nation. However Alejandro appeared very, like, simply completely happy to be the place he was at.
TORRES: It’s a cloud that is hovering over you if you’re going by one thing like that as a result of it feels an issue that is, like, invisible and omnipresent. That’s kind of the actually irritating issues about coping with paperwork – proper? – is that you just’re not up in opposition to the particular person. You realize, it isn’t like combating with a beloved one or one thing like that. It’s this kind of invisible drive that nobody can defend however folks do uphold, which is the very irritating a part of it.
However, you realize, Alejandro desires to be right here. He’s completely happy to be right here. And he is kind of discovering himself on this journey. And in addition, if Alejandro is – I feel there’s one thing to the truth that he appears in a position to not take this personally, not like Tilda Swinton’s character, Elizabeth, who appears to take all the pieces so private and appears to be – really feel wronged by everybody at each flip. I feel Alejandro is continually looking for the humanity within the those that he is up in opposition to.
MARTÍNEZ: OK. So let’s get into Elizabeth, Julio, as a result of…
TORRES: Sure, the alternative.
MARTÍNEZ: OK, ‘trigger I had bother, at first, liking her. I really like Tilda Swinton, however I had bother liking Elizabeth.
TORRES: I utterly get it. I imply, she is troublesome to love.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, “PROBLEMISTA”)
TILDA SWINTON: (As Elizabeth) Oh, this menu. What’s it with walnuts? Walnuts, walnuts, walnuts – it is like a restaurant for squirrels.
JACK P RAYMOND: (As waiter) Nicely, the walnuts – they go very properly with the salad.
SWINTON: (As Elizabeth) Do I seem like I want educating on fantastic delicacies?
RAYMOND: (As waiter) Oh, no, no, no. I wasn’t saying that.
SWINTON: (As Elizabeth) Do not scream at me.
RAYMOND: (As waiter) I wasn’t.
MARTÍNEZ: So let me clarify Elizabeth for a second as a result of – OK, Elizabeth is a lady that Alejandro meets when he’s getting fired from a cryogenics firm, proper? And that is the place her husband, Bobby, performed by RZA from Wu-Tang Clan, is being frozen.
TORRES: Sure.
MARTÍNEZ: You get fired. You meet her. And she or he is – what? – an artwork seller?
TORRES: Sure.
MARTÍNEZ: Elizabeth sort of dangles this visa for you – for Alejandro – in alternate for Alejandro to maintain working his butt off for her. In order that’s why, proper off the bat, I sort of did not like her.
TORRES: And I feel there are various little guarantees that folks with extra energy simply kind of casually say to folks with much less energy. And people of us who’ve been ready of desperately wanting one thing and it being casually talked about that that may occur – guarantees which can be mentioned evenly weigh so closely on others, and I feel that that is what you picked up on.
MARTÍNEZ: You talked about how he desires to be a toy maker, a toy designer. The concepts that Alejandro has – I assume, what can be one of the best ways to explain his toy concepts?
TORRES: Oh, they’re unsellable (laughter). They’re unmarketable.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, “PROBLEMISTA”)
TORRES: (As Alejandro) Toys nowadays are fantastic, however they’re a bit of bit too preoccupied with enjoyable.
Nicely, he’s occupied with toys that current issues. Like, he has this concept for, like, a Slinky that will not truly transfer down stairs, so children need to, like, transfer it manually step-by-step…
MARTÍNEZ: (Laughter).
TORRES: …And within the course of, study that doing issues the arduous means can convey pleasure.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, “PROBLEMISTA”)
TORRES: (As Alejandro) A doll that’s sort of like a Barbie, besides she has her little fingers crossed behind her again. This, I imagine, will add a lot rigidity and intrigue to any Dreamhouse. Life cannot be all events.
And that’s kind of what being an artist with a imaginative and prescient is – is not only saying, like, oh yeah, I will do something. It is like, no, I need to do that very particular factor that I have been desirous about. And that simply makes it a lot more durable.
MARTÍNEZ: You realize, Julio, to me, you’ve got obtained what I name this anti-alpha-male aesthetic in what you write. I imply, I feel so. I imply, I even return to your “Saturday Evening Reside”…
TORRES: Yeah.
MARTÍNEZ: A few of your greatest skits for “Saturday Evening Reside” have been very anti-alpha male so far as I am involved. Is {that a} honest solution to describe a number of the stuff you do?
TORRES: Yeah. I imply, and I take that with pleasure. I – perhaps it is as a result of I used to be raised by a really sensible, mental, curious and empathetic man – by my dad. And I feel I am a really delicate particular person – not essentially an excessively emotional one, however one that’s inquisitive about folks’s interiority. And I feel simply – that simply occurs to return out within the work that I do.
MARTÍNEZ: Yeah. There’s loads of alpha males on the earth (laughter). I feel we’d like a bit of extra anti-alpha.
TORRES: Yeah.
MARTÍNEZ: That is Julio Torres. He is the author, director and star of the brand new movie “Problemista.” Julio, thanks.
TORRES: Thanks a lot.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
MARTÍNEZ: Yet another factor – Julio wrote the “Saturday Evening Reside” sketches “Papyrus” and “Wells For Boys.” And when you want amusing and have some spare time as we speak, they’re so value trying out.
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