Fifteen Yossy Zagha Interview

Could you introduce the plot of Quince?

Quince follows Ligia, a teenage girl getting ready for her quinceañera, which is supposed to be the most important night of her life. As the party gets closer, things start to feel off. What begins as something very familiar slowly turns into something much darker, where all that pressure to grow up and become who you’re expected to be takes a physical, unsettling form.

What inspired you to make Quince?

It came from looking at the quinceañera as more than just a celebration. It’s something very beautiful, but also very loaded. There’s pressure, expectations, a kind of performance.

From the beginning we described it as Carrie meets Juno. That helped us understand the tone. There’s humor, but underneath there’s something much more uncomfortable. Adolescence already feels intense and confusing, so pushing it into horror felt natural.

Among the films you have made, is there one that best represents you?

I’m not sure if there’s one that represents me completely, but Almacenados is probably the one I’m most connected to. The way it deals with time really stays with me.

At the same time, each film reflects something different. In Quince, for example, the bullying and the emotional pressure are things that feel very close as well. So I think it’s less about one film, and more about how each project touches something personal in a different way.

What is the contribution of short films to storytelling?

A short film is like a short story, and a feature is more like a novel.

To be able to tell a novel, you usually start by telling short stories. Shorts help you understand structure, rhythm, and what really matters in a scene. They’re a way of learning how to tell something clearly before expanding it.

Among the roles you have played, is there one that best represents your personality?

I think directing and producing is already a mix of roles.

You’re constantly switching between creative decisions and very practical ones. Trying to protect the idea, but also making sure the film actually gets made. That balance probably defines me more than any single role.

Who are you in everyday life?

Pretty normal.

I spend a lot of time with my kids, watch movies, think about stories. Most ideas don’t come from big moments, they come from small things you notice or remember.

Nothing too dramatic.

What future projects are you working on?

I’m working on a few things right now. One of them leans more into science fiction, but still very grounded in human behavior.

I’m interested in stories where people interact with systems they don’t fully understand, and how that affects their decisions. It’s still early, but it’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot.