Familiar Touch Trailer: Sarah Friedland's Highly Praised Directorial Debut is Set to Premiere This June.

      In recent memory, one of the standout debut features is Sarah Friedland’s beautifully tender Familiar Touch, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival, earning accolades for Best Director, Best Actress, and Best First Film in the Orizzonti section. Following its screening at New Directors/New Films, the drama, featuring Kathleen Chalfant, Carolyn Michelle, Andy McQueen, and H. Jon Benjamin, is set to begin its theatrical release on June 20, and Music Box Films has released the initial trailer.

      The synopsis reads: “Ruth (Kathleen Chalfant), a retired cook, makes breakfast in her warm and sunny kitchen — a meal she seems to have prepared countless times, yet small and puzzling mistakes disrupt her familiar routine. When her son (H. Jon Benjamin) comes to join her for the meal, she confuses him for a romantic partner. Their ‘date’ leads them to an assisted living facility that Ruth doesn’t recall choosing for herself. Among her fellow residents dealing with memory care, Ruth feels disoriented and detached, convinced she is in a place where she doesn't belong. As she gradually starts to embrace the kindness and support from caregivers Vanessa (Carolyn Michelle) and Brian (Andy McQueen), she discovers new ways to connect with her physical self, even as her mind embarks on its own journey. Writer-director Sarah Friedland’s coming-of-age feature poignantly follows the winding journey of octogenarian Ruth’s evolving memories and desires while remaining anchored in her wise viewpoint.”

      Rory O’Connor commented in his review, “It’s an exquisitely gentle piece of filmmaking—somewhat of a subtle triumph that brings a fresh viewpoint to a subject that has become, if not entirely exhausted, at least clichéd. Friedland’s seemingly intricate method tells Ruth’s story from her own perspective rather than that of a loved one, and it never fully discloses what is happening in her mind. The film avoids lengthy monologues and minimizes the character’s suffering— at least beyond the limits of her circumstances. The experiences depicted in Villa Gardens are mostly positive: gaining some autonomy by assisting in the kitchen, allowing herself some playful interactions during check-ups with Brian, and forming a genuine bond with Vanessa. Even during her toughest moments, Familiar Touch remains loyal to her side, enabling Ruth to regain her strength with dignity when despair seems imminent. All of this is captured (by Friedland’s regular collaborator Gabe Elder) with a level of intimacy that feels neither intrusive nor merely observational.”

      Watch the trailer below: