Film Food at Transilvania IFF.25: Cinema and Gastronomy

10:30 AM – Film screening: The Golden Spurtle (dir. Constantine Costi, UK, 2025, 75’) | Military Circle

12:00 PM – Brunch prepared by chef Radu CM Ionescu-Fehér at Casa TIFF x VISUIN, presented by Nespresso

What if you discovered there is an international porridge championship? In The Golden Spurtle, this seemingly absurd premise becomes the starting point for a journey into a small Scottish village where, once a year, people from around the world compete in the art of transforming oats into a memorable bowl of porridge. Beyond the humor and competition, the documentary warmly and amusingly explores how such a simple dish can spark pride, passion, and surprisingly serious personal stories.

Chef Radu CM Ionescu-Fehér is one of the defining names in contemporary Romanian gastronomy, known for his creative vision and for transforming cuisine into an artistic language. Trained at Le Cordon Bleu in London and with experience in top-tier restaurants, he further refined his style with the opening of Kaiamo in Bucharest, a culinary manifesto that blends tradition with a modern, experimental approach.

6:30 PM – Film screening: La Cena (dir. Manuel Gómez Pereira, Spain, 2025, 106’) | Military Circle

8:30 PM – Dinner prepared by chef Florin Dumitrescu at Da Pino, presented by LIDL

Winner of two awards at the latest Goya Awards, where it was nominated in eight categories, La Cena is set in 1939, immediately after the end of the Spanish Civil War. A group of defeated Republican chefs is ordered to prepare a celebratory banquet for Franco and his top generals at Madrid’s Palace Hotel. As they carry out this assignment, they devise a risky plan that may represent their final chance to escape.

The culinary experience following the screening will be crafted by Florin Dumitrescu, widely known as a judge on television shows such as MasterChef and Chefi la cuțite. Considered one of Romania’s most talented and charismatic chefs, he began his culinary career as a trainee in restaurant kitchens at just 14 years old, spending more than half his life searching for the perfect balance between classic dishes and modern techniques.

6:30 PM – Film screening: Spices and Lies (dir. Amine Adjina, France, 2025, 104’) | Military Circle

8:30 PM – Dinner prepared by chef Adi Hădean at Da Pino, presented by URSUS

In Spices and Lies, Mehdi and Léa work at the same restaurant and, between shifts and future plans, have also become a couple. They live together and are seriously considering taking over their boss’s business as he approaches retirement, especially with the support of Léa’s parents. Things become more complicated when Léa wants to meet Mehdi’s mother. Since he has never told his family about either his relationship or his passion for French gastronomy, Mehdi panics and improvises: he asks his friend Souhila to pretend to be his mother, leading to inevitable chaos.

Adi Hădean is a Romanian chef, author, and entrepreneur, recognized as one of the most influential voices in contemporary Romanian gastronomy. Active in the field since 1998, he has distinguished himself through culinary projects, television appearances, books, and initiatives dedicated to promoting local cuisine. A former MasterChef judge, Hădean now combines gastronomy with entrepreneurship and social projects, continuously contributing to the development of Romania’s culinary culture.