Comic, actor and filmmaker Julio Torres came to the U.S. from El Salvador in his 20s. His new film, Problemista, draws from his personal experience struggling to get a visa. "This movie deals with the problem of immigration, but I think of it as a very silly, happy and joyful movie," he says. Torres talks with Terry Gross about his love of difficult people, collaborating with his mom, and getting started in stand-up. For sponsor-free episodes of Fresh Air — and exclusive weekly bonus episodes, too — subscribe to Fresh Air+ via Apple Podcasts or at https://plus.npr.org/freshair Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
On the Ted Radio hour, linguist Ann Curzan says she gets a lot of complaints about people using the pronoun they to refer to one person.
I sometimes get into arguments with people where they will say to me, but it can't be singular.
And I will say, but it is the history behind words causing a lot of debate.
That's on the Ted radio hour from NPR.
This is FRESH AIR.
I'm Terry Gross.
My guest, Julio Torres is a comic, actor and writer.
You may know him from his comedy series specials on HBO and Comedy Central, from the short films he used to do on Saturday Night Live, his bits as a correspondent on the Tonight show, and as a writer and actor on the HBO series Los a Spookies.
Now hes making his debut as a movie director with his new satirical film Problemista, which he also wrote and stars in.
Emma Stone is the producer of the film.
Isabella Rossellini is the narrator.
RZA co stars.
Problemista draws on Torres own experiences as an immigrant from El Salvador trying to overcome the financial and bureaucratic obstacles of the us immigration system.
Torres plays an immigrant from El Salvador whose visa is running out and needs a job, someone to sponsor him, and money for the lawyers and fees that the renewal requires.
Tilda Swinton plays Elizabeth, a potential problem solver, because she offers to sponsor him if he is able to get a museum or gallery show and sell the work of her late husband, which she needs to pay his leftover bills.
But shes also a problem creator, demanding the impossible and arguing with everyone as she keeps assigning more impossible tasks.
For Alejandro, hes also facing the many problems created by the immigration system.
One day, with little time left on his visa, he goes to an ATM and finds his bank account is worse than empty.
He actually owes the bank money a fee because hes overdrawn.
Here he is in a scene with the customer service rep from the bank.