Chef’s Special

Fuerta de Carta

(Spain, 2008, 111 mins)

digital video

Wisconsin Premiere

writer: Nacho G. Velilla, Oriol Capel, Antonio Sánchez, David Sánchez
cinematographer: David Omedes
editor: Ángel Hernández Zoido
music: Juanjo Javierre
producer: Nacho Velilla
cast: Javier Cámara, Lola Dueñas, Fernando Tejero, Benjamín Vicuña

• IMDB Film Info
• www.fueradecarta.com
• Trailer

This festival, it must be acknowledged, has been neglectful of one the great cinema genres of all time: the Spanish sex comedy. Making up for lost time is Chef’s Special, a gay cooking romantic comedy starring the sublimely hilarious Javier Cámara (Talk to Her), winner of the Best Actor honors at the Málaga Spanish Film Festival (where the film also won the Audience Award). It all starts at Xantarella, a top restaurant in the gay-friendly neighborhood of Chueca. Owner and chef Maxi is aided by a kitchen full of over-the-top characters, including Alex the maître d’, and sous-chef Ramiro. The madcap action begins when Maxi’s kids from an earlier marriage arrive unexpectedly after their mother dies, and Maxi is left to cope with parenthood and a surly teen son who wants nothing to do with his gay dad. A hunky young Argentinian soccer star moves into the next-door flat, and sexy Alex thinks she’s finally found the man of her dreams. Heating up this boiling pot is Maxi’s quest for a Michelin star: rumors fly that the reviewer will be dining at Xantarella soon, so everyone needs to be on their best behavior….

Sponsored By:

UW Center for European Studies

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