Problemista

Showtimes March 29 - April 4:

Julio Torres wrote, directed, and stars in this SXSW favorite about Alejandro, a Salvadoran immigrant who dreams of getting into a toy company’s talent incubator program. But the clock is ticking and his visa is running out. When a job assisting an erratic art critic named Elizabeth (Tilda Swinton) becomes his only hope of staying in the country and realizing his dream, he finds himself on a surreal adventure through the equally treacherous worlds of New York City and the U.S. immigration system.

Alejandro’s boss, Elizabeth, is a force of nature. A whirlwind of insecurity and aggression, she’s the kind of person who would complain to a waiter about somebody else’s salad. At first she comes off like a thorny dragon Alejandro may have to fight. But his patience and honest admiration for her character eventually soften her and the two become an odd couple of sorts, built on the mutual feeling of being outcasts. As the story twists and turns through New York art galleries, U.S. immigration offices, Alejandro’s home in El Salvador, and a cryogenic facility in the future, Problemista maintains a consistently funny and clever rhythm. Narrated by the wonderful Isabella Rossellini, the kindness and fairy tale sensibilities of this enormously creative film are infectious. It’s funny, it’s sweet, and it’s smart. Prepare to leave with a smile.

(US / 2023 / Directed by Julio Torres)
R / 1 hr 38 mins