Coffee to Go/Cafe Para Llevar | celebrated short film about lost love and letting go

Alicia, busy discussing the details of her wedding on the phone, walks into the first café she sees and orders a coffee to go. As fate would have it, she unexpectedly finds her ex-boyfriend Javi inside.

Official Selection in over 40 international festivals. Winner of 13 festival awards, including the Goya Award for Best Short Film – Spain's premiere film accolade.

[kellyliszt]

I felt this so much. He gave someone else what she truly wanted, and she is settling because she thinks it will make her happy. I hung on the actors' every expression. And that parting hug spoke volumes.

[mariefrydman]

Obsessed with this film, I saw it maybe 25 times. It held a mistery for me. Was so sad for Alicia. I rewatched it again and again to try to get what hid in between words and looks. Not so sad for her anymore. Here are my observations and hypothesis :
- she is very determined and a little "omnipotent" : what she wants, she must get. Job. Children. Even for little things, like flowers to her wedding. Her time must be "the" time, despite seasons.
- She was in the same control with Javi, who therefore, didn't feel accepted and really loved for who he was.
- Many deep issues in the relation : he is an artist who needs to "let go", she is more like a manager... kind of opposites.
- The young pregnant lady seems very sweet and loving. Maybe he felt accepted as he is by her, so, even if it wasn't his choice to have children, it's become easier for him to give her what she wanted. When you are in acceptance and welcoming, everything becomes easier... even if the feelings are maybe not as intense.
- Life seems to be teaching Alicia a lesson of letting go, renunciation, acceptance... for a deeper capacity for love.

[zoranklar]

Something like this happened to me some ten years ago.
I never cried… until now.
Never realized how much I needed a good cry.

[Galina]

His eyes, her forced smile, the hug, everything so sad. Made me cry.

[gabrielnoble]

Her acting at 8:38 when she’s faced with the question of whether she’s actually happy or not is just amazing. So natural and real.

[lanabrooks]

Sometimes you never stop loving someone. Two years is nothing.

[nishahelmig]

Incredible acting, that's how it is when people truly love one another even though life situations don't come together. Beautiful film!

[lizziem]

That hug was so realistic, it said a thousand words. It gave them both a chance to say everything thst needed to be said without words.
I don't blame either of them to be honest, she could have waited, he could have fulfilled her dream. Now both of them in some way have to learn to live with thst love that is lost, not easy.

[kizoid]

The actress is incredibly good. She says so much with just her expressions

[eagillum]

Wow, so touching. So many of us have been there- you leave because you deserve better, and then out of contrition, he gives someone else what you wanted so bad.

[CliveNDerek]

There is SO MUCH crammed into this short film. It begins and ends with her "I want what I want" wedding plans, which is fine, okay, but a hint to her character. She's "busy, " as she apparently was when they were together (and got promoted; the busy-ness paid off). She wanted her coffee to go; had to be persuaded to stay. His first question is about her mom! He's thoughtful. Asks if she's happy; she cannot say. He has grown. He's grounded and practical: working for his dad--not what he wanted. Stopped smoking (we'll learn why). He's become the man she'd wanted. She's settling because she wants what she wants now.

[bistrasuperpurplecolorgosp]

Now I see again for a million time how much gifted are the Spanish actors and actresses. They are a billion levels beyond many Hollywood ''stars''.

[lovethatagave]

What a wonderful film! No distracting and manipulative music or camera-play - just dialogue and raw intimacy. Thank you for this!

[pradnyaj]

I could watch them act for hours. Those eyes spoke more than words. They were beyond perfection. Impeccable 🥺 It's one of those short films that I will keep coming back to ❤️ It felt realistic to the core with such a beautiful song. Endless list of subtleties that were well put together in this film deserves an applause 👏🏻

[kedarhiremath]

The actress deserves an Oscar...
Look at her expressions...

[rpshukla]

Whoever is reading this from video's side. I can't express in words how i felt through the entire film. I cant understand spanish but still i felt every single moment of this. The lady who played alicia had my heart. The entire time, her acting, I cant define in words. Alicia was trying to hold the tears from the beginning and that hug t end, all this made me so emotional . I can't stop myself from rewatching it again and again. I have watched it 5 times since yesterday.
Hats off to the makers.

[rosecrow]

The storyline of "life" NEVER changes. Only the characters change.... century upon century upon century, ad infinitum.

[mariefrydman]

Overwelming.
I don't get how people who watch this incredible short film can affirm the intentions, feelings, personnalities of the characters with such assertivity. What is extraordinary in this film is that it reflects the complexity of life, without giving "answers". Each of us can project their own vision of the situation, and nobody is right or wrong. It's brilliant because it's so opened and true. No necessity to judge one or the other. Complexity of life. So many questions without answers.

[HettieB]

This movie deserves an Oscar. Great script and acting.

[singsonggirl]

Superb. You can feel the longing.The heartbreak when she saw that his new lover was pregnant is palpable.