"This film can bring some hope."
Chloe Abrahams is all set to dazzle with her upcoming film, The Taste of Mango.
In her debut as a filmmaker, Chloe explores a beautifully intimate mother-daughter story.
She is a powerful voice with Sri Lankan roots, and via this film, she pays tribute to her growing-up years.
Gushing praise on the film, Evening Standard commented:
“Reaffirms the strength of generational bonds and champions the desire of the new generation to question and provoke and demand answers.”
Chloe also narrates the film, which centres around the lives of women from three generations.
The movie also won the BFI LFF ‘Best Documentary’ Award, and Chloe won ‘Best Debut Director’ at the BIFAs.
In our exclusive interview, Chloe Abrahams shed light on The Taste of Mango and we are thrilled to share her words with you.
Can you tell us about The Taste of Mango? What is the story?
The title comes from a story that I tell at the beginning of the film about how my mum craved mangoes when she was pregnant with me.
My grandmother did the same thing when she was pregnant with my mother.
It’s alluding to inheritance and something sweet. Also, to this sensory memory that I have of learning how to cut mangoes.
As the film goes on, we learn about the things that we might have inherited from one another.
The film is about my grandmother, my mother and me and our very complex relationships.
The relationship between my grandmother and my mother was very fractured because of my grandmother’s past decisions.
Through the film, I try to bring us together and understand how we can try and love each other in the face of this violent past.
How does the film capture the mother-daughter bond onscreen, and how does that stand out from other such media?
I filmed using this small camcorder, and it’s a very intimate style. Many of the scenes are conversations I had with my mother in bed or on the sofa.
These intimate moments are the kinds of feelings of this mother-daughter relationship that we have.
Through this camera, I focus on her eyes and her features and that intimacy.
There are so many complex relationships, and of course, each one is unique.
So, it’s hard to compare in a way.
What was it like to collaborate with the people involved in the making of the film?
They weren’t really film sets, and it was just me filming with my mother at home.
But the editors, producers, and every single team member approached the film with so much love and care.
I learnt a lot about how a non-fiction film is made and funded.
I had a lot of advice and mentoring from the executive producers.
How important do you think the representation of South Asian voices is in the current times?
I did not really have many role models in film growing up. So, it was hard for me to imagine doing that myself.
But now, I think it’s so great to see so many South Asian creatives making things and telling personal stories.
The Taste of Mango does speak to particularities about South Asian and Sri Lankan culture that will of course resonate strongly with the audience.
What has proven to happen is that people who don’t share anything culturally with me have been able to connect strongly with the film.
I think that is evidence that these stories can be more mainstream and don’t have to be in a South Asian bubble.
What inspired you to become a filmmaker?
I grew up without watching television, and I don’t know why I was drawn to the medium.
I went to Arts school thinking I was going to become a painter.
Then, I took a video course and completely fell in love with the medium.
It felt like a way to get things out of my head that I couldn’t through paint or writing.
Video and film feel like the best outlet for things bubbling in my head.
What was your reaction when you won the awards for the film?
At the BIFAs, I actually went on my own because I was so sure that I wasn’t going to win.
I just wanted to have a nice time, and I had no expectations.
I was completely shocked and very teary when they read my name out.
It was mind-blowing.
Do you have any advice for people who wish to explore filmmaking?
If you have a story to tell that you feel strongly about, don’t be put off by thinking you need to have fancy equipment or a lot of funding.
It took me five years to make my film, and I did not get funding until the fourth year.
That is not because I had lots of resources to continue on my own.
I had a full-time job and I was making it on the side with just myself and a tiny camera.
Just be scrappy and aim for something to showcase what you can do.
What do you hope the audience will take away from The Taste of Mango?
This film is about a lot of past violence and difficulty connecting with different generations, especially from the South Asian community.
I hope that people find some joy and hope.
If they are struggling with their parents or grandparents, and want to bridge that gap, perhaps this film can bring some hope to them.
The Taste of Mango promises to be an enthralling, thought-provoking, and heartwarming film.
By juxtapositioning strong, familial bonds of love with generational and cultural differences, Chloe Abrahams proves to be an essential and powerful voice.
Her words about the film are building up our anticipation and excitement for the film.
Scheduled to be released in cinemas on November 29, 2024, The Taste of Mango will be an original and unforgettable piece of art.
Watch the trailer:
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