In 1993, the director Trân Anh Hùng won the Caméra d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival for the The Scent of Green Papaya, a drama that took place in his native Vietnam. Despite its title, the film had little to do with food. Instead it drew its richness from a vibrant color palette and characters whose depth transcended subtitles. In Hùng’s new movie, The Taste of Things, the setting is 19th-century France, the country he moved to at the age of 12. This time, cuisine has a central role. Two middle-aged chefs, played by Juliette Binoche and Benoît Magimel, work together at a restaurant: Binoche as a cook and Magimel as the head chef. The Taste of Things explores their relationship after 20 years toiling alongside each other. Hùng wonders: How do their feelings for each other affect the restaurant’s quality? And, conversely: In what ways will their mutual passion for cooking influence their newfound romance? —Jack Sullivan

The Taste of Things will screen at Alice Tully Hall on October 5, 7, 8, and 11. The screenings on October 5 and October 7 will include a Q&A with director Trân Anh Hùng.