Daniel Arias makes his directorial debut with a social comedy: 'Parking Booth'
24.06.25
Jon Arias, Víctor Castilla and Manolo Cal star in the actor’s first short film as a director, with a special appearance by Eric Masip.
Produced by Jarana Films, this story highlights the power of human relationships in challenging times.
Daniel Arias, Jon Arias, Manolo Cal and Víctor Castilla. Photo: Alejandra Lago Louro
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN TWO SECURITY GUARDS REALIZE THE WORLD WAS NEVER BUILT FOR THEM?
This week, actor Daniel Arias made his debut as a director with 'The Booth', a short fiction film shot over three consecutive nights in Madrid (June 23, 24 and 25). Co-written by Arias and Víctor Castilla, the script follows two security guards who, during what seems like just another routine night at the parking lot where they work, find themselves caught up in an unexpected turn of events—one that could change the course of their lives forever.
'THE BOOTH', with an expected runtime of 15 minutes, uses comedy as a tool to address social issues such as job insecurity, inequality and the housing crisis, shifting between absurd humor and sharp social critique. For this project, Daniel Arias has teamed up with Víctor Castilla, Jon Arias and Manolo Cal to connect with audiences through truth and humor: "They are incredible actors, and having Eric Masip as a special collaboration is a privilege. They’re friends, family, and outstanding performers. I’m surrounded by talent and affection. I feel truly fortunate."
The production is led by Jarana Films, with Javier Peña heading production, actress Sara Jiménez as executive producer, and Sergio Benito as line producer.
Co-producing Daniel Arias’s directorial debut are Pastora Vega through Manos Llenas, and Imanol Arias with 11 T’ai Creaciones.
Eric Massip. Photo: Alejandra Lago Louro
THE CAST: The Faces of 'The Booth'
The cast is led by Jon Arias, who has just wrapped filming on Mägo de Oz. The movie, directed by Álvaro Brechner. He previously appeared in Siempre es invierno by David Trueba, and has also been seen in series such as Instinto (Movistar+), Perdida (Antena 3) and Todo lo otro (HBO).
Víctor Castilla, known for his role as ‘El Suizo’ in the TVE series Malaka, has also appeared in feature films including El universo de Óliver, Modelo77 and, most recently, Marbella (Movistar+).
Manolo Cal brings an extensive career in film, theatre and television, having been part of iconic series such as Los ladrones van a la oficina, Cuéntame cómo pasó, Curro and Yo la vi primero.
A special collaboration comes from Eric Masip, a highly popular actor known for titles such as A través de mi ventana, Alba, La vida breve and Punto Nemo.
THE CREW: The Vision Behind 'The Booth'
In addition to Daniel Arias himself in directing and screenwriting — which he co-signed with Víctor Castilla— and the production team of Jarana Films, led by Javier Peña in production, Sara Jiménez as executive producer, and Sergio Benito as line producer, the team is completed by:
Manuel Galán in cinematography, who has worked on large-scale productions featured at international festivals and has received several awards for his work; Sergio Durán Tranche in art direction; La Fragua Estudio in sound; Andrea Gómez in make-up and hair; Elsa Osorio in costume design; and Alejandra Lago louro in BTS. Alex Umansky, with wide experience in feature films, documentaries, series and advertising, joins Daniel Arias as assistant director.
SYNOPSIS
Juan (Jon Arias) and Mauri (Víctor Castilla) work as security guards in an exclusive luxury parking garage frequented by wealthy tourists. While they barely get by during their monotonous and precarious night shifts, one night everything takes an unexpected turn. What seems like a routine security incident turns out to be the trigger for a bizarre situation that forces them to confront the deep inequalities of the system they struggle to survive in.
Daniel Arias. Photo: Alejandra Lago Louro
THE DIRECTOR | Daniel Arias and his need to tell stories
Trained at Estudio Corazza, Mesina Troupe and Lógica Escénica, Daniel Arias built a solid acting career in film, television, theatre and audio fiction before making the leap to directing.
On television, he has appeared in series such as El clan Olimpia (Disney+), Cuéntame cómo pasó (TVE), El internado: Las Cumbres (Prime Video) and Amor superdotado (Facebook Watch). He has worked in films under directors such as Javier Ruiz Caldera (Anacleto, agente secreto), Jacobo Martínez (13 exorcismos), Fer García Ruiz (Mala persona), Martín Cuervo (¿Quién es quién?) and Álvaro de Armiñán (Segunda oportunidad), as well as starring in several short films. On stage, he stood out in the play Donde mueren las palabras, directed by Ángel Caballero, and participated in the fiction podcast Malas decisiones, produced by Onda Cero and available on Spotify.
His training includes work with masters such as Juan López-Tagle, Cristina Alcázar, Eduard Fernández, Javier Daulte, Mónica Vic, Lautaro Perotti, Imanol Arias and Yolanda Vega, combining acting techniques, performance coaching and physical and body training
Jon Arias, Manolo Cal y Víctor Castilla on the set of The Booth. Photo: Alejandra Lago Louro
How 'The Booth' Came About
"It was born from an everyday situation: every time I went to my girlfriend’s house, I greeted the parking lot security guards. One day I thought: ‘there’s a story here.’ The simplest situations can hide powerful human stories. I shared the idea with Víctor Castilla, and together we started writing. There were many drafts, a lot of work over about nine months, until we reached this madness we are now filming."
A vocation both in front of and behind the camera
"I’ve always been a sort of mini-director. I would record myself at home, write my own scripts, edit and upload videos online. I convinced my friends to act. I always knew that one day I would direct, not out of professional ambition, but from a personal need to tell stories."
"I have immense respect for directors and screenwriters who write and shoot every day. I’m discovering how happy I am directing. Just as I enjoy acting, it excites me to see my actors bring to life a story I imagined and built. Sitting at the monitor and accompanying that moment is something that connects with me deeply."
The first shoot as a director
"This is a real production. I’m surrounded by a fantastic team, Jarana Films: Sara Jiménez, who is an incredible producer, Javier Peña, Sergio Benito, Manu Galán, Sergio Durán and Alex Umansky. There’s a professional crew behind me that makes me feel privileged. I know I have to live up to it."
