2025-2026 Pragda Spanish Film Club

"Set in the chaotic kitchen of a bustling Times Square restaurant, La Cocina by Alonso Ruizpalacios is a gripping exploration of migration, power dynamics, and the pursuit of the American dream.

Pedro—one of Mexico’s most-coveted actors Raúl Briones,—is a fiery and charismatic undocumented Mexican cook who struggles to navigate the pressures of his precarious existence. Torn between his dreams of legal status and his volatile reality, Pedro faces mounting tensions when he becomes the prime suspect in a theft investigation. His relationship with Julia—played by Academy Award© nominee Rooney Mara—an American waitress grappling with her own personal conflicts, further complicates his journey as their lives collide in moments of passion, betrayal, and revelation. Through a mix of dark humor and poignant drama, La Cocina delves into the invisible lives of immigrant workers who keep the city running while enduring systemic exploitation.

The film’s rich ensemble cast and surrealist touches transform the kitchen into a microcosm of societal divides, where every interaction reflects broader struggles of identity, class, and survival."

"Alonso Ruizpalacios is a Mexican film director and screenwriter. His work consistently places extremely personal, human stories against the historical or contemporary backdrops of very specific times, places, and institutions, highlighting the existential discrepancies that arise in the wake of the systemic injustices that cast shadows over such settings."

Cast:

Raúl Briones

Rooney Mara

Anna Diaz,

Motell Gyn Foster