SLO County movie starring ‘M.A.S.H.’ actor to debut at SLO Film Festival
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- The Strawberry's West Coast debut April 27 at the Palm Theater the SLO Film Festival.
- The movie was made start to finish in Cambria with filming last March; Mike Farrell stars.
- The semi‑biographical script by Cambrian Steve Brody tells of his father’s final months.t
A film created start to finish in Cambria and filmed there last March is having its West Coast debut next week at the Palm Theater as part of the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival.
“The Strawberry” — which stars noted actor Mike Farrell of “M.A.S.H.” TV fame — has a semi-biographical script written by Cambria psychologist Steve Brody. It relates how Brody’s father dealt with his final months on his own terms.
Farrell dangled the possibility that he might attend the debut in an email reply to The Tribune late Wednesday.
“I hope to be able to make the screening but am not sure yet,” he said, but schedule conflicts might prevent that.
“The Strawberry” is described in the Film Festival literature as a “tender exploration of love, forgiveness, courage and the sweetness of slowing down in life while cherishing what’s right in front of us.”
Making the movie reunited a quintet of hometown Cambria creatives, including Brody, who worked together on “Hidden Creek,” their other locally-based movie released in 2023 which has earned numerous awards for independent films.
The movie’s directors are the brother team of Carlos Eduardo Plummer and Kyle Plummer. It was produced by Darien Jewel and Julian Mercado Avila. All were raised in Cambria and launched their film careers there.
In “The Strawberry,” Farrell leads the cast as Herb Kaplan, diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer and determined to reconcile with his estranged sons and find the joy in life that he long overlooked.
Others in the cast include Doug Jones, Suanne Spoke, Josh Garrett, Ivette Li-Sanchez, Abe Lincoln and Mateo Ray.
The film will show at 5:45 p.m. Monday, April 27, on screen one at the Palm Theater in downtown San Luis Obispo. As of Thursday, the event was at capacity, according to the SLO Film Festival’s website, but tickets at the door may be available.
