Priscilla Alvarez’s Daring Movie about Female Sexuality

Sexo y Tortillas stands as a groundbreaking cinematic work that has shattered boundaries. Director Priscilla Alvarez crafted a daring film that deals with a theme largely neglected by the film industry – the crucial importance of embracing female sexuality. We had the privilege of speaking with Priscilla, who shared insights into the creation of this thought-provoking piece and the profound impact it has had on her community.

1. What was the reaction to Sexo y Tortilla when it came out? (Tias, dad, other men?)

My family’s reaction to Sexo y Tortillas was actually very interesting. Some family members loved it, like my mom. When she first saw the film, she laughed hysterically, and so did my dad. He was actually with me at the first screening. I just remember looking over, and he’s just hysterical.

However, some other family members were there on the religious side, particularly one aunt, who told me, this is pornographic. I don’t want to watch it. Good job, but this is just too much for me, which brings me to the point of having to shoot this film and why I shot this film.

2. What was the inspiration behind Sexo y Tortilla?

I think Sexo y Tortillas is pushing some boundaries because it’s getting a message across to women in relationships as well as women that are single and it’s giving them the comfort that it’s okay to self-pleasure, whether it’s here or in Latin America. I often get questions like, “Oh, do you have the toys here? Did you bring them here?”. So I do think that it is pushing some boundaries and people are becoming more comfortable with the idea of self-pleasure.

Cristina Rabago in ‘Sexo y Tortillas’

3. Any challenges while filming?

We shot in Mexico, and I had to somehow have a shot list. I didn’t have a full shot list when I got to Mexico, so the DP and I, in less than 48 hours, put together a shot list. It was just mayhem because I was worrying about costumes, hair makeup, and scouting.

We were still scouting, still casting actors and we just had 48 hours to shoot. We were still creating our shot list. On top of that, we were waiting for crew members to arrive from New York City to Guanajuato, which took about a day and a half for everyone to arrive. We also had a wonderful crew in Mexico, but it was just mayhem just raising the money to shoot in Mexico.

4. It’s 2024 now. Do you think there are still boundaries/ceilings that need to be broken by Sexo y Tortilla? How relevant is it now?

It’s a female-forward film, it’s a female-forward topic, and I am a female, so I decided to just go with it and produce it and shoot it. I have to represent my community. I’m Hispanic from Nicaragua and Puerto Rico. That’s my culture, and I’m American. which is my other culture. I just need to pave a way for people that are behind me and just give them a voice that you can make films as a female and that you can write about female situations and that you can be a female filmmaker.

So knowing that there are generations that haven’t come to where I am now, that they’re watching and they’re following and they’re being inspired, inspires me to be a female filmmaker and to film more movies.

5. What drew you to making films?

I think it started when I was about in the double digits, maybe 11, or 12 years old. My sister and I used to watch Selena day and night. After she passed away, we became obsessed with her. It just became an obsession that grew to last at least five years.

We used to mimic her, dress like her, dance like her, perform like her in our family’s houses. And… I just remember vividly my sister was dancing and I was moving around with a camcorder that my mom had back then. I’m moving around the living room and she’s like, “What are you doing?” I told myself, I wanted to be a producer. I didn’t know what that meant when I was 12, but I told myself that.

In college, I ended up taking a film studies class while I was studying psychology. I just switched my major to film then and there because it reminded me of that moment when I was a child. It reminded me of what inspires me and what makes me happy and that’s how I began my film journey.

6. If you could give 2018 filmmaker Priscilla advice from present you, what would it be?

I would just straight say, don’t be afraid to improvise with your shots on set. Yes, sometimes you can be very rigid and so can your DP, but it’s very important to seal the space and to engage with the characters, and sometimes they want to move with the camera.

And it’s very important to just listen to that. So I think just don’t be afraid to improvise with shooting and creating new shots as you go. And learning every department is crucial to filmmaking. The editing department, the hair and makeup department. I mean, you don’t have to know exactly how to do everything, just being very familiar with it. It’s very helpful once you’re on set.

A small Latin American village is all a buzz when a distant family member comes for visit and brings her “business” along for the ride. Watch Sexo y Tortillas on Reveel.