The Milk of Sorrow is a Peruvian film, directed by Claudia Llosa and released in 2009. The movie begins with Fausta (played by Magaly Solier) living in Lima, Peru. She suffers from the Milk of Sorrow, a disease that has caused her constant fear and physical symptoms since birth. Her mother, who had also suffered from the disease, had passed away and Fausta is left to deal with her death while still struggling with her own illness.
Fausta's mother's passing prompts her to take a journey to her ancestral village in the Andes, where she will bury her mother. Once there, Fausta comes in contact with a woman who helps her confront her trauma and overcome her fears. During her stay in the village, Fausta has flashbacks of the abuse her mother suffered during pregnancy, which is how she became infected with the Milk of Sorrow.
While in the village, Fausta works as a domestic helper for a rich family and forms a bond with the son of the house, Noé (played by Marino Ballón). She begins to open up to him about her fears and the abuse her mother endured. In the end, Fausta finds the strength to confront her past and overcome her fears.
The Milk of Sorrow won the Golden Bear award at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2009 and was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 82nd Academy Awards. It is a powerful and evocative movie that explores the effects of trauma and the power of human resilience.
