First of all this movie’s official English title translation, Milk of Sorrow, is NOT correct.  La Teta Asustada actually translates to ‘the scared tit.’ Those crazy anglos strike again.  I finally had a chance to watch this award winning film that also caused some controversy within Peru cultural constituents.

This movie was directed by directed and writen by Claudia Llosa, who is also the niece of recognized Peruvian writer Mario Vargas Llosa.  She beautifully portrays the story of Fausta, played by Magaly Solier, who suffers from ‘la teta asustada,’ a psychological condition suffered by children born during the terrorist years who lactated from the ’scared milk’ of the mothers who survived that era.  Fausta herself is an attractive but timid and paranoid character who constantly lives in fear of men due to graphic rape stories told by her late mother.  She goes as far as putting a potato in her vagina to prevent rape, but this causes more emotional and physical trauma as the plot develops.

YES, you read that last part, this movie has very strong plot elements.  In short, the story takes place in a poverty striken and post-terrorist province of Lima.  After Fausta’s mother passes away, besides the emotional pain, she struggles to save enough money for her mother burial which is expensive.  At the same time, her cousin is preparing for a lavish wedding which juxtaposes the irony of a poor province stuck in old ridiculous dowry habits.  Fausta is forced to take a job as a maid for a rich white woman, which portrays another characteristic of Peruvian diversity, culture and class division.

As a Peruvian who was raised in the United States, and also a lover of film, my opinion of this movie is high. The director’s cinematic elements are slow in rhythm but beautiful in imagery and full of feeling. I praise Magaly Solier for her acting as Fausta, she is able to make the directors vision come alive well.  I think she captures the idiosyncracies of that Peruvian province in a charming way.  Some have called this movie the Slumdog Millionaire of Peru because it of its portrayal of a poor peruvian province, but I disagree this plot is richer in feeling and compassion from a different place in the heart.  Its plot does not strive for towards the hopes of wealth and prosperity, it observes the resolution of a very complex psychological reality and experience of the protagonist.  This movie stands on its own and it brings Peruvian film quality to a whole new level.  I recommend La Teta Asustada to any true lover of cinema with feeling.

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Update 2/26/10

When I wrote this movie review last year I did not expect it to become the 1st Peruvian film nominated for an Oscar. I also never thought I WOULD BE GOING TO THE OFFICIAL NOMINATION PARTY IN LA TO POUR MACCHU PISCO COCKTAILS! I am actually most excited to meet MAGALY SOLIER. Viva PERU and drink some pisco, its actually good for you.