Cafe Chairel: A Beautiful Message About Loneliness

Cafe Chairel it‘s a movie directed by Fernando Barreda Luna and stars Mauricio Isaac and Tessa Ia and follows the story of a lonely man who decide to start a business in coffee without having previous knowledge about it and it‘s joined by a beautiful drifter who starts a friendship with him, but his connection is more personal than the coffee.

This movie premiered in Guadalajara International Film Festival and it‘s a movie that was filmed in my hometown of Tampico, Tamaulipas, Mexico and it‘s set in the same town.

Café Chairel is an independent film with a lot of heart, and I’m not just saying that because I’m from there. I say it because it’s a story set in that lovely town, but it’s really contained within the character of Alfonso and how all his flaws come to the surface, though not all is lost. It’s hard to review it without spoiling anything, but this is a film full of nuance, with stunning cinematography that shows how vibrant Tampico truly is—yes, including the famous UFOs and references that only the citizens from that town would catch.

Mauricio Isaac and Tessa Ia are fantastic, delivering natural and restrained performances. But Isaac really steals the show with a performance that’s both powerful and simple. I also loved seeing my great friend Carlos Rodríguez on screen, and all the Tampico actors shining through.

The script offers good insight in the world of the coffee in a very unconventional way, every character in there is imperfect, but the message about loneliness is unique and enduring, and you will feel for Alfonso since the start of the movie and by the end, you will be crying tears.

The brilliant sound design is impeccable. If you grew up in a small town like this, there are certain sounds—ambient noises, little details that you instantly recognize. And here, the director nailed it. He captures those simple but powerful moments using static shots and close-ups that really pull you into the characters intimacy. It’s a slow-paced film with a simple story, but it works. It’s not blockbuster cinema, and that’s exactly where it triumphs. It’s not trying to innovate or reinvent the genre, it’s trying to break you inside and then rebuild you by the end by the way the script was conceived.

This film is a clear reminder that no matter how small a story may seem, what truly matters is the message, the intention, and the symbolism behind it. And beyond that, it’s a beautiful way to remember your roots. Maybe it’s not a movie about Tampico, but it is undoubtedly a movie from Tampico, and that means more than a thousand words.