CAFÉ CHAIREL – Connection in a Cup
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Directed by: Fernando Barreda Luna
Starring: Mauricio Isaac, Tessa Ia
Release Date: April 27, 2025 (Screened at the Dallas International Film Festival)
Platform: TBD
Rating: 4.5/5
By Crystal Justine
“CAFÉ CHAIREL doesn’t shout its message; it whispers it, and somehow that makes it louder.”
CAFÉ CHAIREL is one of those rare films that quietly nestles into your heart. Directed by Fernando Barreda Luna and co-written with Atsushi Fujii, this dramedy blends warmth and melancholy with the kind of ease that only comes from deeply human storytelling. It’s not loud or flashy—it doesn’t need to be. Its power lies in its simplicity, authenticity, and emotional truth.
The film centers on two lonely souls: a middle-aged man (Mauricio Isaac) trying to run a coffee shop he knows nothing about, and a young artist (Tessa Ia) with enough attitude to steam a cappuccino. They’re the textbook definition of the grumpy-sunshine trope, except flipped. Here, the “sunshine” beams from the older man’s quiet optimism and goofy charm, while the “grump” belongs to the younger woman’s guarded cynicism. The dynamic feels fresh, surprising, and deeply human.
What unfolds isn’t some standard meet-cute, but something far more rare, which is a story about companionship that doesn’t rely on romance. Instead, the characters use the coffee shop and their attempts to keep it afloat as a means to process their grief, rebuild their lives, and simply be with another person who is there.
Visually, CAFÉ CHAIREL is beautiful. The cinematography makes strong use of lighting and camera angles that break from convention, offering compositions that feel more like carefully considered photographs than what is typically seen. It creates a softness that complements the film’s emotional weight. Dialogue is sparse but effective and never overwritten; always grounded. These are conversations that feel lived-in, not performed.
Both Isaac and Ia deliver exceptional performances. They balance levity and sorrow with ease, bouncing off each other with a chemistry that never feels forced. Whether it’s through a dry joke, a sigh, or a shared glance over a poorly made espresso, they pull you into their world completely.
Barreda Luna deserves credit not just for his aesthetic eye but for his ability to capture emotional nuance without spectacle. CAFÉ CHAIREL doesn’t shout its message; it whispers it, and somehow that makes it louder. The result is a cathartic exploration of loss, loneliness, and the human desire for connection—platonic, messy, healing connection.
If you love coffee, there’s humor here for you. If you don’t know a single thing about it, you’ll learn something. But CAFÉ CHAIREL isn’t really about coffee. It’s about people—broken, complex, lovable people—and it’s one of the most quietly affecting films you’ll see all year.
