In the heart of a bustling Times Square kitchen, dreams and desperation collide as the back-of-house staff each chase the elusive American dream. When money goes missing from the till, the spotlight falls on Pedro (Raúl Briones), a passionate dreamer entangled in a tumultuous love affair with Julia (Rooney Mara), a waitress grappling with her own commitments. As tensions rise and shocking revelations unfold, the relentless pace of the kitchen threatens to shatter the hopes and aspirations of those who keep it running. 

La Cocina is a poignant and darkly comic tribute to the invisible heroes who fuel our culinary desires while fighting for a place in a world that often refuses to acknowledge their existence. Tribeca alum Alonso Ruizpalacios masterfully weaves together a kaleidoscopic narrative that exposes the harsh realities immigrant workers face, creating a claustrophobic yet captivating portrait of life behind the scenes.––Jarod Neece

Alonso Ruizpalacios