SBIFF Premiere: Margarita With a Straw

Margarita With a Straw is a coming of age story that pits a talented young woman with cerebral palsy who leaves India for New York and has to face the realities of life, and what it means to be in love while embarking in a journey of self-discovery.

In a tearful Q&A after the film with director Shonali Bose, she explained that a lot of this film is based on her life. She recounted how she was able to find inspiration for the film in the tragic death of her young son and her own mother’s passing.

“This film is about learning to love and accept yourself,” said Bose as the audience cheered her candidness.

About the title of the movie, Bose commented that a cousin of hers who has cerebral palsy would often go out for an alcoholic drink and she had to take a sippy cup with a straw to better accommodate her needs. “When life gives you lemons you can either give up or toast with an eclectic drink like the Margarita,” said Bose.

One of the most heartfelt moments in the Q&A came when I asked her what her favorite scene in the film was. She answered very openly by pointing out that she would cry while she was shooting some scenes that really spoke out to her such as the death of a family member and the mourning that takes place in the movie. “I was very open and embracing my pain,” Bose pointed out.

Margarita With a Straw is a film that is something you don’t see every day in mainstream filmmaking in which the protagonist that suffers from a debilitating illness manages to carry the entire story with body language and very little talking. Those quiet moments of reflection for the protagonist attests to the great skills of the young actress that portrays her, Kalki Koechlin.

Margarita With a Straw screens again on February 1st at the Metro 4 Theater and February 2nd at the Lobero Theater. For times CLICK HERE.