A Birthday Celebration Spirals Into Something Much Darker

In Los Chicos, director Jaime Dezcallar (La Migala, El Ogro) captures the volatility of adolescence in a single, unforgettable night. With their parents away, Gonzalo gathers friends to celebrate his brother Javi’s birthday — a casual evening of drinks, smoke, and music that feels like harmless teenage rebellion. But when midnight arrives and the candles are lit, the group unveils a “surprise” that crosses a moral line Javi never anticipated, shifting the tone from playful to deeply unsettling.

Building on themes of innocence disrupted and peer-driven pressure, Los Chicos unfolds with raw authenticity and mounting tension. Dezcallar guides the film from youthful celebration into an emotionally charged reckoning, exploring how one misguided decision can fracture trust, reshape friendships, and leave lingering scars.

Below, we speak with director Jaime Dezcallar about the film’s themes, creative decisions, and the process behind bringing Los Chicos to life.

Los Chicos begins as a familiar teenage birthday party, but quickly veers into darker territory. What inspired you to explore this moment of sudden moral tension?

The moral tension is key to the film. From the beginning I wanted to create characters that could not be easily identified as good or evil, victims or predators. I wanted to make them imperfect and realistic, raw and sophisticated so I made an effort to create a territory where everyone moves in a scale of greys. We have pretty complex moral dilemmas in the film and there are different positions and ideological points of view to approach them that want to cancel each other out by trying to simplify them. In order to talk about problems we need to try to see them from different angles. I also found out that not many people like this; we live in a moment where as a society we tend to understand human nature in a bipolar way that is not true.

The film captures the recklessness of youth but also the vulnerability of Javi. What message did you want to convey about peer pressure and boundaries?

Javi is one of these characters that can be seen as both a victim and a predator. You can feel pity for him and at the same time feel repulsed by his actions. A group of friends has so many different dynamics. Friends can love you and yet be assholes. People can be educated and cruel. One can be insecure and aggressive at the same time. The Guys are in a stage of their lives where peer acceptance is essential for status and personality is still a bit in the making.

Do you see the story more as a coming-of-age tale or as a critique of a certain social environment?

It all started investigating about prostitution. Then I had an idea for the film, and then I tried to fabricate circumstances that I could relate to: a group of friends celebrating on a weekend night. The film turned out to be very choral and it’s hard to determine who is the main character.

Javi’s reaction becomes the emotional core of the film. How did you work with your actors to capture that raw and unsettling moment?

I’m very proud of the ensemble that was cast for the film. Actors were all around 18-20 yo. Most of them had professional experience already. Some of them knew each other from other projects but it was important to me that Gabriel who plays Javi (he is part of the group but as “the younger brother” of one of the members) didn’t know the rest of the cast so well. I wanted him to feel less comfortable around the rest so we met and worked on the script and the character aside. It was important that he didn’t perceive himself as an aggressor. It was important to me that he understood why his character feels more embarrassed than guilty. We talked a lot about the script and the intentions of his character.

The group dynamics feel very authentic — was the dialogue scripted tightly, or did you allow space for improvisation?

The dialogue is scripted tightly, there’s no improvisation.

The film’s tension builds in a subtle, almost quiet way until the reveal. How did you approach pacing and tone to create that impact?

In the script it was very important that the audience didn’t anticipate the plot points. I put special care to keep them logical and inevitable but at the same time as unforeseeable as possible. The actors and I had some time to rehearse and find the tone of the film but also during the shooting we shot long takes so the actors could feel the rhythm of the scenes. And lastly in the editing room, we reinforced the tension. I also think that the space-time unity of the story, where everything happens in the same room and in the same night, helps to keep the audience in the moment.

Can you talk about the visual or stylistic choices you used to underline the shift from celebration to discomfort?

The camera is on a steadicam constantly moving around the actors and the action and making it feel immersive, alive, and smooth. It had to feel somehow light as if the audience was there drinking too. In sound I liked the sense of chaos that is created where everybody has a voice and something to say and there’s different layers depending on how far the characters are from the camera’s pov. Also in color correction, the color grader had the great idea to start the film with warmer colors and softer lights and end it colder and harsher.

You’ve previously made films like La Migala and El Ogro that also carry a strong emotional weight. How does Los Chicos connect to your broader body of work?

I guess they’re all dramas/thrillers. They come from very different places and I made them at different moments in my life. I guess they project different fears in my life: In La Migala I feared loneliness, in Los Chicos I’m more worried about the future of my children and where to find values
in such a liquid time.

If you want audiences to leave the film reflecting on one question, what would it be?

Can it be okay to be able to rent somebody else’s will and body?

What are the books, podcasts or even YouTube channels that you recommend young filmmakers to get their hands on?

Directing Actors by Judith Weston
In the Blink of an Eye by Walter Murch
Save the Cat – Blake Snyder
Sculpting in Time – Tarkovski
On YouTube I enjoy CineFix where different directors talk about their favorite shots from the films they’ve directed.
I really miss making-of videos on DVDs.

Can you share with us some of your favorite short films you’ve seen lately?

LA ASISTENTE — Pierre Llanos
La Gran Obra — Alex Lora
THE BALLAD — Christopher Nilsson
BEURK! — Loic Espuche