Manuel Gómez Pereira’s The Dinner (La Sena) has proven its local prominence, garnering new awards attention and appearing in New York’s new Spanish film And Then Goya Goes.
The film is set in 1939, just after the Spanish Civil War, and follows a group of defeated Republican chefs tasked with preparing a celebratory banquet for Franco and his top general at Madrid’s Palace Hotel, as they hatch what may be their last chance to escape.
Led by Mario Casas and Alberto Sanjuan, the film combines period setting, built-in tension, and a tone that oscillates between suspense and comedy.
This formula helped propel one of the most notable local theatrical runs of this season’s Spanish titles. “The Dinner,” released by A Contracorriente Films on Oct. 17, grossed 3.7 million euros ($4.3 million) and attracted more than 600,000 admissions, according to comScore figures provided by Spain’s ICAA Film Institute.
At the 2026 Goya Awards, out of eight nominations, including Best Picture, the film won in two categories: Adaptation for Joaquín Olistrel, Manuel Gómez Pereira and Yolanda García Serrano, and Costume Design for Helena Sanchis.
The film chronicles one of Gómez Pereira’s most high-profile market outings in recent years. A longtime veteran of Spanish commercial cinema, his directorial credits include All Men Are the Same (Todos los hombres sois iguales), Mouth to Mouth (Boca a boca), Love Can Seriously Disaster Your Health (El amor perjudica seriamente la salud), and Queens (Reinas).
Produced by Cristóbal García, Lina Badenes and Roberto Butragueño, The Dinner is a Spanish-French co-production led by La Terraza Films in collaboration with Turanga Films, Sideral Cinema and Entre Medina y Gennaro AIE, and co-produced by France’s Halley Productions. Film Factory Entertainment will handle international sales.
“Goya Goes – New Spanish Cinema” is organized by Spain’s Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the ICAA Film Agency and the Export Trade Commission ICEX.
Variety spoke to producer Cristóbal Garcia. Mr. Garcia is scheduled to screen April 19 at New York’s Village East by Angelica Cinema, where “The Dinner” will be screened at 4:45 p.m., followed by a post-screening conversation.
What do you think are the main factors behind The Dinner’s success at the Spanish box office?
It will be easier to see if you move a little further away. From the beginning, we wanted to make an unapologetically anti-war comedy. It’s interesting and fun, but I didn’t make the easy choice. I never thought about it in terms of success. Because I think focusing on success only leads to failure and frustration. What happened was that the movie truly connected with the audience. It had good numbers in its opening weekend, but what really mattered was that it ended up earning eight times as much at the box office in its opening weekend, which shows word-of-mouth and recommendations worked very well. It also confirmed that audiences want to see comedy and see “The Dinner” as a different kind of comedy, where the cast is truly in a state of grace. I also think the concept of this movie was very appealing to theater audiences.
Which element of the film was most crucial in connecting with the audience?
The proposal itself. Suddenly, a movie appeared that had never caught anyone’s attention. It was a period comedy, funny with our own stuff, and completely independent. I think that sense of surprise is what attracts viewers. And not only in theaters, but on platforms as well, the numbers are still very high.
What aspects of “The Dinner” are best for audiences around the world?
After all, the themes this film deals with are universal. We placed it at a very difficult time in history, but if you think about it for a moment, there are many similarities to situations that repeat themselves in all times and places. The entertainment element also works very well in this movie. The entire journey of the chefs, who must escape with a ticking clock and real danger, incorporates elements common to films from around the world.
How does the blend of comedy and drama, set in 1939 Madrid, define the film’s identity?
It defines the movie very clearly from its basics. I believe that movies are a journey. When you set the action in wartime 1939 Madrid in an iconic location like Madrid’s Palace Hotel, you’re already making a very strong statement of intent. The film takes its own path from there, but one of the basic ideas we had from the beginning was to show a side of Madrid that we felt hadn’t been shown much before, through characters pushed to their limits by a historical moment. That’s the essence of this movie.
Did Goya’s escape change the perception of cinema? In what sense?
We believe Goya was the icing on the cake. The nominations arrived at a time when the film had already completed its theatrical run, so it’s possible that more films were now available for viewing on the platform. But certainly it’s confirmation that our peers also support this film and that the Academy wants to value comedies, something that probably hasn’t happened in a long time. This year’s production was incredible and being nominated for eight awards, including Best Picture, was very special. I am filled with deep gratitude.
What specific opportunities does “And Goya Go – The New Spanish Cinema” represent for “Dinner”?
Showing your work to a new audience is always enriching. We are honored to be able to screen this film in the United States, especially in New York, and we are very excited to see the audience’s response. This is a great initiative and we hope to continue it in the future. Supporting the distribution of films across borders is extremely important.
