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First Taste
Unang Tikim
2024 99 min Philippines R 18+
★6.8
Romance, Drama
Director: Roman Perez Jr.
Trailers
Description
Yuna, a woman engaged with her long time boyfriend, Nicco, starts to have second thoughts when she meets again her first love, Becca. Now she is torn between the man she loves and the woman she first loved.
Starring
Angeli Khang
Actor
Robb Guinto
Actor
Susan Africa
Actor
Awards
Cannes Film Festival 2023
— Best Director
Cannes Film Festival 2023
— Palme d'Or
César Awards 2024
— Best Production Design
César Awards 2024
— Best Cinematography
César Awards 2024
— Best Costume Design
Key opinion
Unang Tikim (The Taste of Things) is widely praised as a sensory, impressionistic cinematic experience that elevates culinary preparation to a profound, ritualistic expression of love. While its meditative, slow-burning pace and lack of traditional plot may alienate viewers seeking conventional drama, it is celebrated by most for its aesthetic beauty and the authentic chemistry of its lead actors.
| Acting | Juliette Binoche and Benoît Magimel anchor the film with a deeply authentic chemistry rooted in their real-life history. | |
| Score | The film utilizes natural ambient sounds—sizzling oil, clattering pans, and kitchen rustling—to create a visceral, sensory experience in lieu of a conventional soundtrack. | |
| Production | The 19th-century French kitchen and château are rendered with impeccable, tactile detail that feels both historically immersive and visually painterly. | |
| Theme | The meticulous, unhurried focus on the cooking process serves as a narrative device, acting as a language of intimacy for the central couple. | |
| Pacing | The contemplative, slow-burning pace rewards those who appreciate an atmosphere-heavy study of daily rituals, while others find the lack of traditional plot dynamics monotonous or exhausting. |