10/08/2023
We had the pleasure to see “The Taste of Mango” directed by Chloe Abrahams, being screened for the first time outside the US, here in Prizren. The film tells an intimate story of three women: a grandmother, a mother, and a daughter trying to navigate and understand the family dynamics in the aftermath of violence and obedience to traditions. Chloe and her mom move to the UK to live life without restriction, while they try to also to get the grandmother to live with them.
It is an emotional story displayed thoughtfully while understanding the rhythms of accepting, forgiving, and moving on.
During a Q&A with the audience, Abrahams explained her practice as a way to understand how the body feels during certain events in life and the main focus of this film is to display an emotional narrative rather than a fixed plot.
The film goes on to explore personal and intimate moments of reflection, joy, and everyday activities as important moments of realization. The taste of mango spreads as a metaphor for the fluidity and mental processes one undergoes after tough times. In one scene we see the mom of the director cut through a mango with the same power of decisiveness to give life a change and think positively.
Some bittersweet moments remind us of the unbreakable feminine connection throughout generations. There is music that unites them, there is joy for independence and to be understood. Abrahams went on to explain such moments as the time she cut her hair as an act of liberation not only from tradition but as a way to understand yourself beyond the confines of beauty standards - a recurring theme of culture and identity in the film.
The audience went on to ask more personal questions regarding the confrontation between the director and the men in the family who caused pain. And with the response there came also a lesson. Abrahams went on to say that this film is made by women and for women. Even though the aftermath of the actions of men is noticed in the circumstances, it is important to notice that the anger and pain had already gone away when the film was finally finished.
The director also explained a little bit more about her relationship with her mother -- one of the main components of the film. After watching the film, her mother got to understand the softer thinking side of the director, and it was a way to reconnect with her origins hence growing the connection between the two.
If you want to see this film, you can do so on Thursday at DokuKino, starting from 10:30.
By: Blerina Kanxha
Photo: Agon Dana
