LA COCINA

Watch The Trailer

Storyline (warning: spoilers)

Translating from Spanish to mean 'the kitchen', the film explores its titular space as a microcosm of societal hierarchies and offers a poignant commentary on the human cost of ambition and survival. Rashid, a successful Arab American entrepreneur, runs "The Grill", a large upscale Times Square tourist trap. The kitchen, located underground, is staffed by illegal immigrants, mostly Latin Americans, who must work at breakneck speed in the rush hours to fulfill the orders brought to them by the waitresses who are predominantly white Americans. Shot entirely in black-and-white except for a few key moments, Juan Pablo Ramírez demonstrates his talent for stunning camera work and exquisite framing of the film's subjects. The arrested scope of La Cocina and the highly stylised and choreographed formations of the kitchen staff as they cook, dish and serve is reminiscent of a play, so it's not surprising that this film is loosely based on Arnold Wesker's 1957 British play The Kitchen.
The film begins with Hispanic migrant Estela Ramos (Anna Diaz) navigating her way to her new workplace. Reflecting Estela's discombobulation in the film's first few scenes, the slow-motion shots are juddering and gauzy, culminating in a feeling of being sick and adrift. Once Estala successfully locates “The Grill”, the camera stills, favouring rapid to-and-fros between various people - heightening the urgency and adeptly capturing the frenetic energy of a busy commercial kitchen. Food is rendered into something almost abject - reduced to the basest, most primal desires of the people consuming it. This is perhaps reflective of the hospitality industry, where questionable ethics underpin aspirational dining experiences entirely divorced from the people who produce them.
Ruizpalacios's direction, and Yibrán Asuad's editing, crafts a narrative that oscillates between realism and surrealism, reflecting the characters' internal and external struggles. The escalating pressure needs a release valve, and we see the film reach its fateful end in a single 10-minute final sequence. It's breathtakingly gripping whilst being simultaneously dreadful and cathartic.