Strawberries Comes to Los Angeles: Laïla Marrakchi’s Drama Spotlights Migrant Women
Laïla Marrakchi’s Strawberries is scheduled for November 8 at The American French Film Festival, followed by a conversation with the writer-director.
Los Angeles audiences will have an opportunity to encounter a story about migrant women, work and solidarity when Strawberries (Les Fraises) screens at The American French Film Festival. The official program schedules its Los Angeles premiere for Sunday, November 8, 2026, at 1:05 p.m. in the Truffaut Theater, followed by a conversation with writer-director Laïla Marrakchi.
The festival runs November 3–8 at the DGA Theater Complex in Los Angeles. With its box office now open, the screening offers a specific date to consider for viewers seeking international cinema beyond their usual watchlists.
A story built around work and family
According to the festival’s synopsis, the drama follows Hasna, a woman in Morocco who hopes to buy a home for her children and applies to pick strawberries in Spain. The advertised story examines the barriers, exploitation and sexual abuse faced by female migrant workers, alongside their efforts to find strength together.
That description establishes the subject of the film, rather than a verdict on its execution. This article is a preview based on the announced program; Hollywood Weekly has not reviewed the production.
What to watch for
For readers interested in socially engaged storytelling, the premise suggests several questions to take into the theater. How does the film connect one person’s ambition with the conditions surrounding her? What space does it give the women’s individual personalities, relationships and decisions? When does a scene invite the audience to observe, and when does it ask us to identify closely with a character?
These questions are a way to approach the viewing experience without assuming the answers. A synopsis can explain a conflict, but the film’s images, performances, pacing