La Teta Asustada is a 2009 film, co-produced by Peru and Spain. This groundbreaking masterpiece is the first Peruvian film to ever be nominated for the Foreign Film Oscar. Directed by Claudia Llosa and starring Magaly Solier, the film discusses the fear experienced by Peruvian women during 1980-1992, a period of severe government and radical left-wing violence against villagers in the Andes. The title “Teta Asustada” translates colloquially into “The Milk of Sorrow” and refers to the folk belief that the trauma experienced by women who were raped by members of security force was passed on to their children through the milk from their breasts. Thus, this period of violence continues to affect not only those who experienced it, but also the next generation. The film is based on the book Entre Prójimos by Kimberly Theidon, Associate Professor at the Department of Anthropology at Harvard University and Director of Praxis, Institute for Social Justice. The film presents a memorable and haunting portrait of a period of great injustice told from a rare perspective: that of poor, rural, WOMEN. In this way, La Teta Asustada is relatable to Mayu. Fair Trade practices and hard-hitting documentaries target alternatives that lead to the alleviation of social injustices, and allow small voices to be heard in a big way. Go see La Teta Asustada, now playing in a [small, arty, independent] theatre near you.

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