Julio Torres’ Much Anticipated Film Problemista Gets An Official Release Date

Saturday Night Live writing alum Julio Torres is making his directorial debut with the upcoming and much anticipated film Problemista. The surrealist comedy film, which he also wrote and stars in, triumphed at the 2023 SXSW Film Festival. It was originally set for release in summer 2023, but was delayed due to the writers strike. Now, an official release date has been set!

With time working against him, aspiring toy designer Alejandro’s (Julio Torres) last hope to stay in the country is to assist an art world outcast. Struggling to bring his unusual ideas to life in the Big Apple, this film offers a surreal adventure that explores themes of immigration and the housing crisis in the United States.

Torres recently stated in an interview with Variety that this film is an attempt to portray a chapter in his life as he felt it and a big part of that was “brushing up against bureaucracy and about the heartlessness of bureaucracy.” By utilizing metaphors throughout the film, Torres hopes to capture the intricacies within the hardships the United States places on immigrants, such as the process of applying for a visa, which Torres described as feeling like you’re in a maze.

A24’s Problemista is narrated by Isabella Rossellini and stars Julio Torres, Tilda Swinton, RZA, Larry Owens, Catalina Saavedra, Greta Lee, and James Scully.

Problemista will be in select theaters on March 1 and in theaters everywhere March 22.