Q&A: Julio Torres and Tilda Swinton on their surreal New York saga ‘Problemista’
By LINDSEY BAHR
AP Film Writer
Julio Torres mined his own life and experiences to make his feature directorial debut “Problemista,” expanding in theaters this weekend. He plays an aspiring toy designer from El Salvador caught in the nightmarish Catch-22 of the U.S. immigration system. His character Alejandro desperately needs someone to sponsor his work visa, and he hopes he 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 revealed the role was unlocked when she didn’t have to play her as American.