A documentary by Paco Plaza on Mugaritz will open Culinary Zinema, and ‘The Platform 2’ will close the Culinary Zinema section

Filmmaker Paco Plaza’s perspective on the work process and creativity at the Mugaritz restaurant, the experience of a famous Japanese chef in a Parisian restaurant, a non-fiction film on the gastronomic culture of northern Japan, and another about the significance of cheese aging, along with the highly anticipated sequel to The Platform by Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia, make up the lineup for the Culinary Zinema section of the 72nd San Sebastián Film Festival. The first four films will compete for the Culinary Zinema Award, which includes a prize of €10,000 for the winning film, while The Platform 2 will close the section out of competition. Culinary Zinema, which will also feature five themed dinners related to the screenings, was presented this morning at the LABe Digital Gastronomy Lab in Tabakalera by the director of the Basque Culinary Center, Joxe Mari Aizega, and the director of the San Sebastián Film Festival, José Luis Rebordinos.

Mugaritz. Sin pan ni postre will open the section on Monday, the 23rd, at the Victoria Eugenia Theatre. Paco Plaza’s proposal (Valencia, 1973), the director of Veronica (Made in Spain 2017) and La abuela (Official Section 2021), goes beyond gastronomy. The viewer will become a privileged witness to the process of reinvention that takes place at the restaurant of Andoni Luis Aduriz, one of the most creative and influential chefs on the international scene. Filmmaker Ayuko Tsukahara (Saitama, 1974) narrates in Grand Maison Paris the story of a Japanese chef, a lover of French cuisine, who opens a restaurant in the City of Light and struggles to achieve his third Michelin star. The dishes featured in the film were designed by Kei Kobayashi, the first Japanese chef to receive three Michelin stars in Paris.

Tetsuya Uesugi (Sapporo, 1983) makes his feature film debut with Kita no syokukei / Northern Food Story, which follows the daily lives of four chefs working in the rich gastronomic culture of northern Japan, particularly on the island of Hokkaido and its community. After being selected for the documentary section of the Tribeca Festival, Shelf Life will compete for the Culinary Zinema Award. Director Ian Cheney (Boston, 1980) seeks to decipher whether spending time with people dedicated to cheese aging could provide insights into human aging. Cheney creates a peculiar treatise on cheese, traveling to various countries to confirm the importance of this legendary product. Following the global success of its first installment, Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia (Abadiño, 1974) directs The Platform 2, which will close the section out of competition. In this new installment, starring Milena Smit and Hovik Keuchkerian, as a mysterious leader imposes his law in The Platform, a new tenant becomes involved in the battle against this controversial method to combat the brutal food system.

Themed Dinners

The five films in the section will be accompanied by themed dinners, which will take place between September 23 and 27 at the Basque Culinary Center. Combined tickets for the screenings and dinners will go on sale this Friday, August 30, at 10:00 AM, through the Festival and Kutxabank websites. The price of the tickets for the screening and themed dinner is €80, except for The Platform 2, which will adopt a cocktail format and emulate the aesthetics and experience of The Platform and its iconic platform; the dinner will accommodate 130 people and cost €65.

The themed dinners of Culinary Zinema will begin on September 23 after the screening of the documentary Mugaritz. Sin pan ni postre, with a gastronomic experience that will bring us closer to the creative universe of Mugaritz through different dishes, perspectives, and people who have passed through the restaurant and who today lead significant projects at the national level: Miguel Caño (Nublo), Juan Vargas (Muka), Alatz Bilbao (Bakea), Fran Baixas (Franca), and Carlos Salvador (Amaica). The Mugaritz team, which will use products from Leire Etxaide’s garden—who was part of the house and coordinates the Huerta BCC project—will cook at the Basque Culinary Center to create a menu that pays homage to the two-Michelin-starred restaurant’s cuisine, inviting diners to open their minds as well as their mouths. Additionally, guests will enjoy a pairing that complements the gastronomic experience, thanks to the collaboration of liquid experts who have also been part of Mugaritz, like Dani Lasa (AMA Brewery).

The dinner on September 24 will be led by Paulo Airaudo, who faces the challenge of pursuing excellence in his various projects around the world. The Argentine chef will offer the opportunity to taste some of the dishes from his various culinary ventures, including Amelia (two Michelin stars), Da Filippo, and Ibai, among others, which have captivated lovers of haute cuisine in different corners of the globe. The experience on September 25 will bring attendees closer to the rich and delicate Japanese cuisine, offering the chance to taste the creations of two chefs, Takeshi Takahashi (Le Santé) and Hiroshi Sakai (Ajidokoro), who are the protagonists of Kita no syokukei / Northern Food Story. Just like in the film Shelf Life, cheese will be the undisputed star of the fourth dinner (Thursday the 26th), which, from a more local perspective, will highlight not only the richness and diversity of this product but also its cultural roots and its value as an emblematic product of the region, thanks to the work and dedication of chefs from Mahaia Kolektiboa like Roberto Ruiz (HIKA), Dani López (Kokotxa), and Javi Rivero and Gorka Rico (AMA).

When feeding on the wrong dish becomes a death sentence, how far would you go to save your life? Young culinary talents will bring the universe of The Platform 2 to life with chef Edorta Lamo (Arrea!) and his furtive philosophy. With a scenography inspired by the film, the final dinner of Culinary Zinema (Friday the 27th) will begin with a cocktail offered by Aitor Sua and Lucas Fernández (Trèsde Restaurante) and creations by Jorge Sastre (Sartoria Panatieri, Brabo, and Molla), all imbued with Lamo’s disruptive philosophy. Except for the closing film’s cocktail event, Culinary Zinema will follow its usual format of ten diners per table to encourage dialogues that enrich the experience. Faculty and students from the Basque Culinary Center will participate in all the dinners, collaborating both in the kitchen and the dining room.

Tickets for the films alone will go on sale starting September 15 at a price of €8.75.