OPENING NIGHT FILM & PARTY: The Dinner (La Cena)

In the shadows of 1939 Spain, Maître d’ Genaro must orchestrate a victory banquet for Franco’s regime using Republican chefs “borrowed” from death row. As these outcasts command the Hotel Palace kitchen, the film uncovers its queer heart. Genaro navigates a “New Spain” hostile to his identity, balancing fascist posturing with his own survival. Featuring queer icon Asier Etxeandia as a flamboyant official and the handsome Mario Casas as a conflicted lieutenant, the film is a stylish exploration of resistance. Through culinary excellence and camp, it celebrates the bravery of living one’s truth when the stakes are life or death.

Why it’s a must-watch for queer audiences:
• Queer Representation: The film explicitly addresses the erasure of LGBTQ+ individuals during the post-civil war era through Genaro’s character arc.
• Stellar Cast: Features Asier Etxeandia (Pain and Glory), one of Spain’s most prominent queer actors, in a powerful role.
• Subversive Humor: Uses dark comedy to critique toxic masculinity and authoritarianism.