HanWay Boards Rooney Mara Berlin Competition Title ‘La Cocina’; Fifth Season & WME Rep North America — EFM

Andreas Wiseman
·2 min read
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EXCLUSIVE: HanWay Films will represent international sales at next month’s EFM on Berlinale Competition title La Cocina. Fifth Season co-financed the film and is co-representing North America with WME.

Two-time Oscar nominee Rooney Mara (Carol) stars in the movie which is set over one day in a Times Square kitchen. Mexican filmmaker Alonso Ruizpalacios (Güeros) directs and Raúl Briones (A Cop Movie) co-stars.

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The film’s synopsis reads: “It’s the lunch rush at The Grill in Manhattan, and money has gone missing from the till. All the undocumented cooks are being investigated, and Pedro (Briones) is the prime suspect. He’s a dreamer and a troublemaker, and in love with Julia (Mara), an American waitress who cannot commit to a relationship. Rashid, The Grills owner, has promised to help Pedro with his papers so he can “become legal”. But a shocking revelation about Julia compels Pedro to spiral into an act that will stop the production line of one of the city’s busiest kitchens once and for all.”

The production adds that the movie is a “tragic and comic tribute to the invisible people who keep our restaurants running and our stomachs full, whilst chasing a perhaps unreachable version of the American dream.”

Written and directed by Ruizpalacios, the movie is based on the play by Arnold Wesker and produced by Ramiro Ruiz, Gerardo Gatica, Lauren Mann and Ivan Orlic. The project is a co-production of Filmadora, alongside partner production companies Panorama, Fifth Season, Astrakan Film AB and Seine Pictures.

We understand that Mara and creatives are due to attend the film’s world premiere in Berlin.

Gabrielle Stewart, CEO Hanway Films said: “The entire HanWay team flipped when we screened La Cocina. Alonso is a huge talent, his cast are incredible, and we all back this film to have real impact in Berlin. It is a must see.”

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