Reel Suspects pins its hopes on Buffet libre

Directed by Matteo Lovadina, French firm Reel Suspects has just acquired world sales rights for Buffet libre, Spanish director Zoe Berriatúa’s third feature film after her acclaimed Los héroes del mal (unveiled in Malaga and screened in San Sebastián’s Made in Spain section in 2015) and Up Among the Stars (nominated for the 2019 Best Music Goya). The film will enjoy its market premiere in Cannes.

Written by the director herself, the story revolves around an Asian couple called Xian and Ikki who run an all-you-can-eat buffet on the brink of bankruptcy in a fading old market. Their marriage has become toxic and humiliating, but Xian will do anything to win back Ikki’s love. When a customer dies from poisoning in the restaurant, panic drives them to hide the body and eliminate anyone who threatens to expose their secret, turning their enemies into frozen goods. But as their situation spirals, Xian begins to realise that they themselves might pose the real threat to their relationship…

“I’m Spanish, but I shot a film in Chinese because I needed the couple to be isolated, without any support, and contending with a community in a foreign country where no-one understands them,” Berriatúa stressed. “The film doesn’t represent any one group in particular but rather evil individuals from all kinds of backgrounds. The themes covered include racism, sexism, evil and the use of love to justify the latter.”

The cast stars Yan Huang, Carlos Wu, Jiaying Lii, Ismael Fritschi and Antonio Dechent (Goya-nominated for Intacto and recently seen in Papers). Production was steered by La Bestia Produce in league with The Other Side Films and Gamera Studios, while cinematography was entrusted to Rosa Vercher and the film’s music composed by Iván Palomares.