DIRECTOR: Chloe Abrahams
COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN: UK, USA
PRODUCTION YEAR: 2023
DURATION: 75 minutes
LANGUAGE: English
Best Debut Director Award 2023 BIFAs
Best Documentary Audience Award 2023 BFI London Film Festival.
Trailer: https://youtu.be/QPhWh885_2o
REVIEW by KATHLEEN BONDAR
Chloe Abrahams’ debut film is an autobiographical documentary focusing on the intertwined stories of three women in her own family, namely her grandmother Jean, her mother Rozana and herself.
At the centre of this familial account of personal experiences and relationships is the shocking trauma Abrahams’ mother suffered as a girl living in Sri Lanka and her mother Jean’s unhappy second marriage which she felt unable to leave. Abrahams uncovers the emotional legacy of all this and further revelations including her own.
The subjects of abuse and coercion are indeed central, and yet, The Taste of Mango is as equally playful and endearing. The women chat and reminisce. Woven into the fabric of the documentary are childhood memories, romantic confessions and the trajectory of Rozana’s upcoming wedding.
The Taste of Mango is constructed in a cinema verité style, with Abrahams using a handheld camcorder, mixed with Meshes of the Afternoon (Maya Deren) contemplative shots of glittering water and birds in flight. All this, together with lingering close ups, selfies and family videos, lends to the exploration of the personal.
It’s a raw, first feature, with the various constrictions of a low budget production and hints of film studies. However, The Taste of Mango is a kaleidoscopic documentary with subtle colours. Abrahams has produced something absorbing and courageous, opening difficult conversations in women’s lives across the generations.