Synopsis
Bread and Roses follows Maya, an undocumented Mexican immigrant who arrives in Los Angeles and begins working as a janitor in a high-rise office building. Inspired by a passionate union organizer named Sam, she joins the real-life Justice for Janitors campaign, fighting for fair wages and basic rights. The film explores themes of exploitation, solidarity, and sacrifice among immigrant workers navigating the harsh realities of American labor.
Did You Know?
- Directed by British filmmaker Ken Loach, set in Los Angeles.
- Title references a famous 1912 women's labor strike slogan.
- Pilar Padilla's feature film debut as lead character Maya.
- Adrien Brody plays union organizer Sam, a supporting role.
- Film was shot on location using non-professional local actors.
Iconic Quotes
- If you work in a building, you deserve to enjoy it.
- Bread and roses! Bread and roses!
- We're not invisible. We're workers and we have rights.
- You can't live on hope alone, but without it, life is not worth living.
- The union is not someone else. The union is us.
