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Reviews
Que Horas Ela Volta? (2015)
Classism in Muylaert's Que Horas Ela Vota?
Que Horas Ela Volta? (2015), directed by Anna Muylaert, tells the story of Val—a live-in nanny/maid who serves and tends to a wealthy couple and their teenage son in São Paolo. Val has evidently worked for this family for quite a while and is often seemingly accepted as a member of this family. It is evidenced at various points throughout the story that Val essentially functions as a second mother to the boy, giving rise to the English title of this film, The Second Mother.
Not long into the film, it is unveiled that in order to work for this family, Val has left behind a family of her own, including her estranged daughter, Jéssica, with whom she has not spoken in a long time. Out of the blue, Val receives a call from Jéssica, who informs her mother that she will be visiting São Paolo in order to take a university placement exam. Val makes arrangements for her daughter to stay with her while she is in town and, though initially excited to meet Val's daughter, Val's employers become discontent when Jéssica refuses to accept her role as a "second-tier" individual. Contrary to their expectations, she openly eats at their table and does not stay confined to her mother's quarters. Instead, she sits at the main table and accepts meals and beverages from her mother's employer, Carlos. Carlos takes a romantic (and creepy) interest in Jéssica, allowing her to stay in the guest room instead of with Val. Without permission, Jéssica uses the pool, a privilege only the wealthy are supposed to have.
The breaking point of the film presents itself when Fabinho (the employers' son), who is the same age as Jéssica, does not get into the university, but Jéssica does. Bárbara (the patroness) refuses to accept Jéssica's rise—her disregard for the class system—and effectively kicks Jéssica out of her home. Though initially angry at Jéssica's reluctance to accept her social role, her mother Val eventually seems to come around to her disregard for classism, apparent toward the end of the film, when she joyously dances in her employers' half-empty pool.
On top of a great cast, this film is extremely well put-together and excels in its presentation and critique of this important social issue. As someone who grew up with immigrant, working-class parents, it is easy for me to relate to the struggles Jéssica faces as she grapples for acceptance.
La teta asustada (2009)
Fear and history in "La teta asustada"
La teta asustada (2009), directed by Claudia Llosa, tells the story of Fausta—an indigenous young woman who is subject to the poverty presently dominating much of rural Peru in the aftermath of heinous crimes that surged throughout most of the country during the second half of the twentieth century. Set in the outskirts of Lima, Fausta's story is one in which the protagonist undergoes immense character development as she faces various obstacles after her mother's death (at the beginning of the film). These trials challenge her several fears, including her extreme aversion towards men and her seemingly excessive fear of being raped.
The film's title stems from the commonly held belief that Fausta suffers from a disease transmitted to her from her mother during breast-feeding. Prior to her death, Fausta's mother sings about the horrible violence she endured earlier in life. She and her family believe her mother's fears were thus transmitted to Fausta. This "illness" manifests itself through various "symptoms," such as Fausta's reluctance to go out and do anything without the company of an individual she trusts, as well as through her shocking decision to place a potato inside her vagina in hopes of preventing rape.
Overall, the plot revolves around Fausta overcoming these fears, in addition to her marginalized role as a poor, indigenous woman, in order to obtain enough money to afford a proper burial for her mother's corpse.
The main criticism I offer regarding this film is that it falls short of providing both insight into and a brief history of the horrific violence that surged through Peru in the late 1900s. In providing the audience with a world-view likely unfamiliar to them, Llosa assumes that the viewer is familiar with this violence, which may lead to confusion at various points. Without background information, it is easy for the viewer to assume Fausta's fears are completely and utterly irrational, which I believe can be detrimental to the viewing experience.