Claudia Liosa's MILK OF SORROW (LA TETA ASUSTADA) is a beautiful story looking into the emotional distraught character Fausta, and the past of her mother she carries with her. It is believed in the village, that Fausta suffers from a illness known as "the frightened breast," which was passed on through her mother's milk after birth. While Fausta was in her mothers womb, her mother endured horrific events that led to what the locals referred to as this sickness. Fausta's mother passes, and she is faced with the task of wanting to take her mothers body back to her home land, however her debilitating fear of life and her social poverty make this task challenging one to pursue.
Magaly Solier who plays Fausta, is remarkable. We truly feel the power of the so called disease in her portrayal of Fausta. The beauty of the character and her expressive eyes often said it all, such that little dialogue was required to feel Fausta's pain. Although Fausta's presence on screen was meant to be quiet and disturbed, her inner spirit was strong like her mothers who endured much torture, and needed to be released. This film is beautiful portrayal of one's inner spirit and what drives us to make a change in our lives. Although Fausta has been fearful her whole life she learns that she can not sit passively if she wants to really live and accomplish the task she faces with her mothers body.
As a women I loved how this film looked at a risque subject matter in a very delicate manner through the pain in the eyes of Fausta's character and her journey.
Grab a friend and check out MILK OF SORROW at the John Dutton Theatre at 12:00pm on Monday September 27. If you can't make that showing don't fret, catch this beauty at an encore screening at 2:00pm on at Enmedia on Friday October 1.
