The Dinner (2025)
The Dinner (literal translation: Dinner; orig. title: Dinner) is a 2025 Spanish-French drama comedy film directed by Manuel Gómez Pereira from a screenplay by José Luis Alonso de Santos, Yolanda García Serrano and Manuel Gómez Pereira. The film premiered in Spain on 17 October 2025.
The Dinner is a Spanish historical black comedy with dramatic elements, directed by Manuel Gómez Pereira. The film combines political satire, suspense, and absurd humor, set in one of the most difficult periods in Spanish history – immediately after the end of the Civil War.
The story takes place in 1939, just two weeks after the end of the Spanish Civil War. At the Palace Hotel in Madrid – temporarily converted into a hospital – an order arrives to organize a state dinner in honor of Francisco Franco and his generals.
The problem is that the hotel is not prepared for such an event, and some of the staff are openly against the regime. In order to ensure the necessary level of cuisine, an absurd decision is reached - to use republican prisoners who are professional chefs.
From here on, the film unfolds as a tense yet ironic situation in which different groups – military, servants, prisoners and staff – are forced to work together. Beneath the surface of the dinner organization, secret plans, tensions and hidden conflicts begin to take shape.
The plot balances between farce and drama – as the preparations progress, the tension between the characters grows, and every action carries the potential for disaster. The story is not just about a dinner party, but about the clash of ideologies, survival, and morality in a war-torn world.
Manuel Gómez Pereira builds the film as a mixture of genres – comedy, historical drama and almost theatrical farce. The direction is dynamic, with multiple characters and parallel lines that intertwine in a limited space. The film uses the chaos of preparation as the main driver of tension. Visually, it is distinguished by a detailed historical reconstruction – costumes, sets and atmosphere that immerse the viewer in the period.
Mario Casas in the role of Medina, he portrays a young officer torn between duty and personal doubts.
Alberto San Juan as Genaro is one of the strongest characters – attentive, intelligent, and placed at the center of events as the organizer of the dinner.
Asier Echeandia in the role of Alonso, he creates a tense and threatening character who embodies the violence and fanaticism of the regime.
Nora Hernandez having Maria adds a human and emotional edge to the story.
Oscar Lasarte and Elvira Mingues complement the ensemble with convincing and memorable roles.
The cast functions as a well-synchronized ensemble, where each character has a clear place in the overall chaos.
The Dinner is an unconventional film that uses humor and absurdity to explore serious historical and moral themes. It is not a classic war drama, but rather a satirical look at power, ideology and human survival. The film offers an interesting combination of tension and dark humor, while raising questions about morality in extreme situations. It is suitable for viewers who are looking for something different – historical cinema with an intelligent and provocative tone.
