Spanish director's nostalgic portrayal of NYC in the 1980s

"I became a filmmaker in New York. Robot Dreams is my love letter to the city. Some of the most special and happiest times in my life were there," recalls the director, adding that he also met Yuko Harami — who later became his wife and closest collaborator — in the city.

Turning his nostalgic memories of New York into an animated film, Berger shares that some elements in the film are inspired by his time living in the city, ranging from Central Park to Coney Island and the flea market in Chelsea.

Interestingly, Chinatown is also featured in the film, with a scene depicting the dog wandering into a location crowded with brands written in Chinese characters.

Describing this scene as one of his favorites, Berger reveals that Harami, who is also the producer, collaborated closely with the art director to select the streets, storefronts and signs. They also enlisted the help of a Chinese artist living in Madrid to ensure the accuracy of the written Chinese characters.

"When I lived in New York, I lived downtown, so Chinatown was not far from my apartment. I remember loving to go there. I got lost like a dog in the streets of Chinatown many times," recalls the nostalgic director.

One of his most vivid memories of Chinatown revolves around an arcade brimming with video games and pinball machines. "My favorite game was a big box made of glass with a chicken inside. After you inserted a coin, you would start playing tic-tac-toe against the chicken. And somehow the chicken always won. To this day, I still don't know how it is possible," he reflects on the amusing moments.