La Cocina

Brimming with frenetic energy, Alonso Ruizpalacios' heady cinematic experience plunges the viewer into the chaotic heart of a bustling Times Square kitchen. 

During a lunchtime rush at The Grill, money is discovered missing from the till. Suspicion falls on Pedro, an undocumented Mexican chef entangled in an affair with an American waitress, Julia. Adapted from Arnold Wesker’s acclaimed 1957 play, La Cocina features exquisite black-and-white cinematography and a superb ensemble cast, including Rooney Mara and Raúl Briones. Brimmy with frenetic energy, La Cocina is a heady cinematic experience and a searing critique of the restaurant industry’s exploitation of the often invisible labour of immigrant workers.

"Its intricate character relationships and intensely stressful yet balletic kitchen scenes make for compelling viewing, so much so that the 140-minute runtime flies by." - Hannah Strong, Little White Lies