La teta asustada (2009)

La teta asustada (2009). La teta asustada: Directed by Claudia Llosa. With Magaly Solier, Susi Sánchez, Efraín Solís, Marino Ballón. Fausta is suffering from a rare disease called the Milk of Sorrow, which is transmitted through the breast milk of pregnant women who were abused or raped during or soon after pregnancy. While living in constant fear and confusion due to this disease, she must face the sudden death of her mother. She chooses to take drastic measures to not follow in her mother's footsteps.

“Writer/director Claudia Llosa loosely adapts the premise of old-time classics u0026#39;The Little Mermaidu0026#39; and u0026#39;Faustu0026#39; to contemporary Peru. Fausta, beautifully played by Magaly Solier, is a solitary, indigenous girl whose heart is gripped by fear. Her mother, who we see on her deathbed at the start of the film, was raped and scarred for life by The Shining Path (a radical Maoist organization that terrorized Peru during the 80s and early 90s). According to their indigenous culture, the terror felt by Faustau0026#39;s mother was passed on to her through breastfeeding, a condition they call u0026#39;The Milk of Sorrowu0026#39; (in Spanish, u0026#39;La Teta Asustadau0026#39;, which translates to u0026#39;The Frightened Titu0026#39;). Fausta is deeply suspicious of people around her, particularly men, and expresses her repressed emotions only through singing, as she performs her daily chores. Desperately in need for money to bury her dead mother, she begins to work as a housekeeper for Aida, a musician who is preparing for a concert and becomes interested in her songs of sorrow.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eLlosa observes the social realities of Latin America (post-colonialism, class division, political violence), but avoids providing facile solutions. Instead, she focuses her attention on Faustau0026#39;s more personal need for spiritual freedom. She does so with quiet, subtle humor and an eye for striking, poetic imagery.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eI highly recommend watching this Academy Award nominee for Best Foreign Language Film and winner of the Berlin International Film Festival.”