LA COCINA

Based on the 1957 play of the same name by Arnold Wesker, this comedic drama follows a crew of workers who have converged from around the world at a Times Square restaurant. When money goes missing from the till, all the undocumented cooks are being investigated, and Pedro (Raúl Briones), a dreamer and a troublemaker, is the prime suspect. Amidst the pandemonium of the kitchen, he falls madly in love with American waitress Julia (Rooney Mara) who coolly keeps their affair hidden until a shocking revelation pushes the quietly machista Pedro to the edge. Celebrated Mexican auteur Alonso Ruizpalacios (Güeros) makes his English language debut with a beautifully chaotic tribute to the often invisible laborers that form the melting pot of the staff of The Grill, reflecting the multicultural makeup of the city and the struggle for the American Dream.