The Legend of Juan Jose Mundo Brings Big 80s Energy and First Love Feels to FLIFF 2026
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The Legend of Juan Jose Mundo Brings Big 80s Energy and First Love Feels to FLIFF 2026
There is nothing subtle about your first crush.
It is electric. Consuming. Slightly delusional. Completely unforgettable.
The Legend of Juan Jose Mundo, directed by Michael Walker, dives headfirst into that feeling and does not apologize for it. Screening as part of the 2026 Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, the film transports audiences back to 1984 with big hair, arcade glow, and the emotional intensity of teenage life.
Screenings take place Friday, February 20 at 7:15 PM at Cinema Paradiso in Hollywood and Saturday, February 21 at 5:00 PM at Paragon Ridge in Davie, followed by live Q and A sessions.
A True Story with Real Emotional Stakes
The film is based on a true story co writer Susan Gomes experienced in 1984 in White Plains, New York, when a Spanish exchange student arrived and instantly shook up her high school world.
Walker was drawn to the honesty of that experience.
“The story is based on a true story that happened with Susan Gomes and her best friend back in 1984,” Walker explains. “It is full of memories from that time. The emotional journey that Julie goes through seemed timeless.”
For Walker, what made it compelling now was perspective.
“It was interesting to look back on it from today, as an adult, from present day, and see how that felt.”
That dual lens, teenage intensity filtered through adult reflection, gives the film its emotional depth.
Recreating 1984 Without Polishing It
Yes, the film delivers on the music, the fashion, and the vibe of the 80s. But authenticity was the priority.
“We tried to make the film as accurate as possible to the time,” Walker says.
“We looked through all of Susan’s photos and yearbooks and we interviewed all of her friends from the time and got a lot of those stories that ended up in the film.”
Not every memory was comfortable.
“A lot of those stories don’t age well, but we put them in because they were real. It’s up to audiences how to respond to them. It’s nostalgic, but it’s not sentimental.”
Walker also drew inspiration from the emotional sincerity of classic John Hughes films.
“One thing we took from The Breakfast Club was that he took the kids’ problems seriously. We never talk down to the kids. It’s a fun film, but it never makes fun of the kids for feeling the way they do.”
That choice grounds the film. Teenage emotion is not treated as trivial. It is treated as life altering, because at that age, it is.
Why First Crushes Never Fade
Few feelings are as powerful as that first rush of infatuation.
“That first crush is such a powerful, physical and emotional feeling,” Walker reflects. “It’s the first time we have ever felt anything like this. It can’t help but make an imprint on your brain.”
The film leans into that imprint. The butterflies. The anxiety. The all consuming hope.
And then there are the friendships.
“Your friends in high school become your family as you gain independence for the first time,” he says. “Those friends know you better than anybody. They just know who you are at your core. It’s special to have those people in your life.”
That blend of romantic obsession and deep friendship is what makes the story resonate across generations.
The Disruptive Power of Juan Jose Mundo
When Juan Jose Mundo arrives from Spain, everything shifts.
“You have to remember that the kids at White Plains High had known each other their whole lives,” Walker explains. “Juan was new and exotic, and sophisticated and charming.”
He becomes instantly popular. Magnetic. A fantasy figure.
“Well, the story was basically how it happened,” Walker says. “Juan came to the school and he was instantly a popular kid and hooked up with a lot of girls there.”
But the film allows audiences to see beyond first impressions.
“If he is a fantasy, by the end of the film you might have a different opinion of him, which was also how it happened.”
It is not just about idolizing someone new. It is about the reality that follows.
Why FLIFF Matters
There is something fitting about The Legend of Juan Jose Mundo screening at FLIFF, a festival known for bringing international stories to local audiences.
“I like how you framed that question,” Walker says when reflecting on the festival. “Juan is an exchange student and he brings international culture to White Plains High. Back in 1984, the world wasn’t as culturally international as it is today.”
Festivals like FLIFF create space for stories that might not fit a traditional studio mold.
“A film festival like FLIFF is so important today because films like these can be passed over by distributors who are only looking for stars, or something that fits their brand,” Walker explains. “This is also the only opportunity people will have to see the film on a big screen with an audience.”
And for a film this emotionally resonant, that shared experience matters.
“It’s the best way to see a film like this, a fun film that resonates so emotionally with an audience. And we will be there too, along with Alex, for the Q and A.”
Courage, Self Doubt, and Growing Up
Beyond the romance and nostalgia, the film wrestles with fear.
“The idea that we all have had times in our lives when we really want something but our fear and anxiety get in the way,” Walker says. “And how soul crushing all that self doubt can be.”
It also challenges the myth of happily ever after.
“On the flip side, getting what you want isn’t always actually what you want.”
For Walker, the film opens the door to a bigger reflection.
“Things have changed and things have stayed the same. The world feels like a very different place now, and it is, but the emotional life of human beings hasn’t changed at all, especially in our formative years.”
A Trip Back to Your Most Unedited Self
So what does Walker hope South Florida audiences feel as they leave the theater?
“I hope they walk away feeling like they’ve been on a very special trip back in time,” he says. “Not just to the 80s, but to that time in their own lives when they felt most alive and were the most unedited version of themselves…when they were guided almost solely by emotion.”
He pauses on that idea.
“There is so much fear and freedom living like that, but you only get to be that age once.”
For two nights at FLIFF, Broward audiences get to step back into that fearless, unfiltered version of themselves.
Screening Details
Friday, February 20 at 7:15 PM
Cinema Paradiso
2008 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, FL
Q and A to follow with Director Michael Walker, Co Writer Susan Gomes, and Star Alexandro Byrd
Saturday, February 21 at 5:00 PM
Paragon Ridge
9200 W State Road 84, Davie, FL
Q and A to follow with Director Michael Walker and Co Writer Susan Gomes
Official Website - https://www.pangofilms.com/
More information can be found at fliff.com & https://www.imdb.com/title/tt34150444/
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