Hot Milk

This is a story about a woman's growth through generational trauma, transitioning from a symbiotic mother-daughter relationship to the daughter’s eventual journey towards independence and selfhood.

At the start of the film, the protagonist Sofia exhibits a numb, dazed, compliant, and repressed state while living under the same roof as her mother. As the film progresses, two key symbolic images emerge:

1. Sofia sinking into the water in her wheelchair—an image of suffocating sadness and helplessness. The wheelchair, which symbolizes their inability to stand on their own, becomes a metaphor for their lack of freedom.
2. The barking of a black dog in the summer—Sofia, from enduring this noise in silence, to finally picking up a knife and threatening the neighbor to release the dog, and ultimately seeing the dog run into the sea to swim. The black dog symbolizes Sofia's repressed anger, which is finally released through an explosive outburst.

The daughter, in the prime of her youth, shows signs of wilting and retreating. This is deeply tied to her mother, Rose, who is confined to a wheelchair. Rose’s illness, her inability to stand or walk, is largely a physical manifestation of her psychological issues. This illness also symbolizes her inability to be independent, always needing Sofia’s care.

Rose, sitting in the wheelchair and wallowing in self-pity, uses her pain to gain sympathy, manipulating Sofia into caring for her, though she may not be fully aware of or willing to admit it. During the doctor’s treatment, Rose repeatedly tries to change the subject, crying at times, unwilling to delve deeper into her issues. She is a mother who is difficult to please, constantly complaining and criticizing her daughter. After being separated from her mother at age 16, Rose's own childhood was lonely and deprived. She clearly views Sofia as the mother she longed for, subtly enjoying and exploiting her daughter’s care and attention—just as she repeatedly asks Sofia to fetch water for her to quench her thirst.

Sofia's father left early, and Rose’s inability to receive affection and care from her partner further traps Sofia in a distorted mother-daughter dynamic. Sofia begins to dream of rescue, love, and freedom. In her fantasy, a beautiful young woman on a white horse appears by the sea—this woman, Ingrid, however, does not fulfill Sofia’s wishes. Ingrid not only lies incessantly and seeks attention by playing the victim, but also disappears without a word after becoming close to Sofia. She even has secret relationships with other men.

Sofia feels anger and heartbreak upon realizing Ingrid is merely using her. What she longed for in Ingrid—genuine love—turns out to be irresponsible play, and the freedom she sought becomes a web of lies and promiscuity. Sofia finally understands that it was her deep wounds and dark voids that attracted these shifting demons.

When Sofia sees the truth, her attitude toward Ingrid changes. She no longer tolerates and accommodates everything like a martyr. She no longer allows herself to be a doormat. This time, when Ingrid calls another man while standing before her, Sofia snatches the phone and throws it into the sea. She realizes that Ingrid is just a child who cannot offer love, only take it.

The film also follows Sofia’s journey to find her biological father. After years of separation, Sofia’s father is now married with children, and she feels out of place in their small family. Yet, she still wears a soft yellow rose-patterned camisole and goes to the rooftop to talk with her father. When he notices the dark red embroidery on her shirt and asks what it means, Sofia responds that it’s her favorite "beliebe." Her father, however, comments that it’s actually "beknopf" (button). They argue briefly, and her father rushes off to answer a phone call, leaving Sofia alone.

By now, Sofia’s longing for love, the essence of her relationships with her parents and her girlfriends, becomes clearer. She grows through her pain and disappointment, no longer passively waiting and accepting, but starting to reclaim control of her life.

The two "trans" dance scenes in the film symbolize Sofia’s inner growth and transformation of power.

Hot Milk represents an unattainable longing for love. Milk, the nurturing substance from the mother, is the most primal nourishment in life. The characters, mother and daughter, are intertwined in this longing, passed down from one generation to the next. The protagonist demonstrates strength and courage, breaking the curse of generational trauma and finding rebirth in despair.

In the final scene, Sofia pushes Rose, who is sitting in a wheelchair, into the middle of the road. A large truck approaches without slowing down. Sofia doesn’t look back. At this moment, Rose must either stand up to survive or be struck by the truck. The film ends abruptly, leaving the audience with a big question: Will Rose stand up and escape?