Milk of Sorrow

One of the nominees for the Academy Award's (a.k.a OSCARS) Foreign Language Film Category is a Peruvian film "La Teta Asustada" or Milk of Sorrow. This film previously won the Golden Bear Award at the Berlin film festival. The film revolves around Fausta who is suffering from the "frightened breast" which she got from her mother (who was raped) through breastfeeding. Read Variety's review and the Wiki entry.

I'm happy that a film featuring breastfeeding was given an Oscars nod. But I'm not too happy about the "frightened breast" theory. I would love to watch this film to see how breastfeeding during the war is depicted - whether positively or negatively.

Interestingly, a report released mid-January by Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada found that breastfeeding during war helped lower infant mortality.

Exclusive breastfeeding can decrease the risk of two of the deadliest war-related health threats children face, a recent study shows. Breastfeeding's greatest impact on declining wartime deaths has been in sub-Saharan Africa, though more work is needed.

As with calamities, war victims normally do not have access to clean water or facilities, and subsequently, use of breastmilk substitutes often result to higher infant mortality.

My internet research do no show any detailed synopsis about "Milk of Sorrow". I do hope it wins the Oscars for Best Foreign Film as this will increase its chances of being shown locally, allowing me to watch and decide if this film is good for the breastfeeding advocacy.