The Milk of Sorrow 2010

As the elderly woman’s final breaths whisper away, her soulful melody lingers, a haunting confessional of the unspeakable horrors she endured - the brutal rape and the tragic loss of her husband. The song’s poignant conclusion coincides with her peaceful passing, surrounded by the tender vigil of her daughter, Fausta (Magaly Solier).

Fausta’s own existence has been forever scarred by the tales of terror that permeate her family’s history, a dark legacy of the brutal conflict between Sendero Luminoso and the Peruvian government. This trauma has instilled within her an abiding phobia of men and the violation they represent, prompting her desperate measures to safeguard herself - including the insertion of a potato into her most intimate recesses. Despite the mounting health concerns sparked by this unorthodox defense mechanism, Fausta remains resolute in her refusal to surrender it to medical intervention.

In the aftermath of her mother’s passing, Fausta and her family are left grappling with the financial burdens of laying their loved one to rest. It is against this somber backdrop that Fausta takes up residence in the opulent home of a struggling pianist, Aída (Susi Sánchez), who finds herself torn between completing an impending recital and the creative blockage that has beset her.

The pianist’s astute observation of Fausta’s latent talent for songwriting sparks an unexpected offer: in exchange for a new composition, Aída proffers a prized string of pearls. The prospect of this bounty proves irresistible to Fausta, whose dire financial straits are further exacerbated by the need to fund her mother’s funeral expenses.

As the night of the recital unfolds, Aída takes to the stage, delivering Fausta’s song with mesmerizing flair and securing a thunderous applause from the assembled crowd. The post-performance euphoria gives way to a candid conversation between Fausta and Aída as they make their way back to the pianist’s abode. However, it is clear that Aída’s motives are not entirely altruistic, her growing unease palpable as she senses Fausta may inadvertently reveal her own creative culpability.

The evening following Fausta’s cousin’s wedding, a sudden and unwelcome intrusion by her uncle shatters the tranquility of her slumber, his words an urgent reminder to cease allowing fear to dictate the contours of her existence - a life that has long been shadowed by the traumatic experiences of her mother.

Ultimately, Fausta decides to embark on the path of healing, surrendering to the removal of the potato and performing a symbolic burial for her mother near the ocean’s edge. The film concludes with an unspoken promise: that Fausta will finally begin to lay her own demons to rest, slowly but surely shedding the shackles of her long-held fears.