A cinematic celebration of gastronomy
The prestigious San Sebastian International Film Festival sets the stage for a unique fusion of cinema and haute cuisine with its acclaimed Culinary Zinema section. This year’s edition promises an extraordinary journey for the senses, featuring a lineup of films that explore the profound connection between food, culture, and identity, paired with exceptional thematic dinners.
Star-studded documentary honors a culinary legend
The event will close with the non-fiction film “Uno de los nuestros. El legado de Joan Roca visto por 70 estrellas Michelin” (One of Us. The Legacy of Joan Roca Seen by 70 Michelin Stars). Directed by Jorge Fernández Mayoral and Virginia Jönas Urigüen, this remarkable documentary brings together twenty chefs who collectively hold seventy Michelin stars to pay tribute to Joan Roca of the world-renowned El Celler de Can Roca. This closing feature perfectly embodies the festival’s core belief that “there is no gastronomy without culture, and no culture without gastronomy.”
A diverse lineup of culinary films
The section opens with a bang with “Morte cucina” by acclaimed Thai director Pen-Ek Ratanaruang, a culinary thriller where the protagonist uses her mastery in the kitchen to exact revenge. From Japan and the Basque Country comes “Tetsu, Txispa, Hoshi,” a documentary by Jon Arregui Larrazabal about Japanese chef Tetsuro Maeda and his restaurant Txispa, nestled in the valley of Atxondo at the foot of Mount Anboto in Bizkaia.
French director Nan Feix presents his debut feature, “Mam,” a fiction film about a Texan chef who falls in love with Vietnamese cuisine during his travels and dreams of opening his own restaurant in New York. Completing the lineup is “Jota Urondo, un cocinero impertinente” (Jota Urondo, An Impertinent Chef), the directorial debut of Mariana Erijimovich, co-directed with Argentine filmmaker Juan Villegas. This documentary portrays Argentine chef Javier Urondo and the space of cultural and gastronomic resistance he created on a street corner in Buenos Aires.
Catalan gastronomy takes center stage
The Catalan Tourist Agency of the Generalitat de Catalunya is sponsoring the Culinary Zinema section, showcasing its distinction as ‘Catalunya, World Region of Gastronomy 2025’ and promoting its campaign to present the excellence of Catalan cuisine to a global audience.
An immersive dining experience
Four of the five films will be accompanied by thematic dinners held from September 23rd to 26th at the Basque Culinary Center. Staying true to its format, Culinary Zinema will host ten guests per table to foster enriching dialogue and a shared experience. Faculty and students from the Basque Culinary Center will participate in all dinners, assisting both in the kitchen and dining room.
Combined tickets for the film screenings and dinners will go on sale on Friday, August 29th, at 10:00 AM through the official festival website sansebastianfestival.janto.es and tickets.kutxabank.es. The price for a combined ticket is €85.
A culinary journey around the world
The gastronomic experience begins on September 23rd following the screening of “Morte cucina.” The accompanying menu is designed by Álex Zurdo, Txitxo Fernández, and Gabryella Ismeria of Kitchen 154, a Madrid-based project known for its signature Asian street food. Since its founding in 2014, these chefs have captivated the city with vibrant venues where flavor triumphs over form, and spice, authenticity, and boldness reign supreme. Their philosophy is clear: “No gastro, no posturing,” just intense dishes that evoke the markets of Bangkok, Hanoi, or Luang Prabang. Their dinner promises to be as potent and vital as the film itself.
An intimate taste of Japan in the Basque Country
The documentary “Tetsu, Txispa, Hoshi” offers a glimpse into the creative universe of chef Tetsuro Maeda. For this special occasion on Wednesday, September 24th, Maeda himself will design an exclusive menu, sharing his intimate and surprising approach to cooking, which is deeply connected to product purity and the fire of the grill—a symbol of Japanese culinary culture. The proposal will invite diners on a journey of flavors that evoke the essence of Japan—ferments, macerations, preserves—reinterpreted with local, fresh, seasonal ingredients and enhanced with an unmistakable Basque touch. This is a unique experience connecting tradition and territory in a nuanced culinary dialogue.
Argentine flavor and rebellion
The film “Jota Urondo, un cocinero impertinente” portrays chef Javier Urondo and his Buenos Aires restaurant, Urondo Bar, a space of cultural and gastronomic resistance. His cooking, loaded with memory and character, becomes an act of identity and community. On Thursday, September 25th, Urondo and his team will prepare a dinner that travels directly from Argentina, a proposal combining flavor, history, and rebellion in tune with the spirit of the film.
A grand finale with culinary titans
The documentary “Uno de los nuestros,” a homage to the legacy of Joan Roca, will close this edition of Culinary Zinema. The final dinner on Friday, September 26th, will bring together two giants of international gastronomy: Joan Roca and Dani García for a special four-hands menu. This grand finale will allow the audience to experience the tribute shown on screen transformed into an unforgettable gastronomic reality.
Join us for an insider’s perspective
From Por Fogones, we are proud and excited to be back at Culinary Zinema for another year. It will be our pleasure to bring you exclusive, first-hand coverage of the most important gastronomic cinema section hosted by any A-class Film Festival in the world, thanks to the partnership between the San Sebastian International Film Festival and the Basque Culinary Center. If you’d like to follow along, you can find us on Instagram, X, and TikTok under the handle @javiers_gastro.
