Sarah Friedland’s FAMILIAR TOUCH to Receive U.S. Premiere at Film Forum

Film Forum will present the US theatrical premiere of Sarah Friedland’s FAMILIAR TOUCH on Friday, June 20. The movie stars Tony Award-nominated actress Kathleen Chalfant as Ruth, an elegant, meticulous woman in her 80s. Her home in southern California is sunny and well-appointed, with greenery and tasteful mementos from a life filled with family, adventures, and pleasures. Ruth is going on a journey: Her body is moving to a full-time memory care facility; her mind and spirit into the unknown.

In her debut feature, filmmaker Sarah Friedland invites the viewer into this journey gently, allowing us to experience both the disorienting shadows and bright micro-moments along with Ruth, as she loses pieces of her past self, while still living — engaging with the present-time flesh and blood, and kindness, of her caregivers.

Familiar Touch had its world premiere at the 2024 Venice Film Festival where it won the Luigi de Laurentiis Award for Best Debut Film, and Horizons Awards for Best Director & Actress. It went on to screen as the opening night selection at New Directors / New Films, and was showcased at BFI London Film Festival, AFI Fest, Indie Memphis, and more.