Phil Roberts 
Sarah Friedland’s heartwarming coming-of-old-age tale, Familiar Touch, will be arriving in UK cinemas in June.
Look out, UK cinephiles, because Sarah Friedland’s Film Festival triumph, Familiar Touch, finally has a UK release date. After making the rounds on the festival circuit and receiving widespread acclaim, Bulldog Film Distribution has acquired the film and will release it in UK cinemas on June 19th. The film follows Ruth, an older woman with dementia, as she finds herself living in an assisted living facility. Unable to grasp the reality of her situation, she becomes isolated from the people around her. Soon, life forces her to see the truth, prompting her to seek something familiar.
The film sounds like a gloriously tangible window into the struggles of people living with dementia. Sarah Friedland’s work as a memory care worker gives her incredible insight into the harshness of living with the illness, making the film a grounded, realistic portrayal of their daily struggles. So expect to be immersed in a truly poignant spectacle. But don’t take my word for it, scroll down and hit play on the trailer for your first look.
SYNOPSIS
Ruth Goldman, an older woman with dementia, leaves her home for a date. But what she thinks is a hotel turns out to be an assisted living facility, and she must contend with an array of new faces, routines, and surroundings as her own identities and desires shift.
While Ruth resists identifying with her aging neighbours, she connects with the care workers there and is drawn towards her son, whom she mistakes for a suitor. A former cook, Ruth finds agency preparing meals in the facility kitchen. She slides into younger selves as she embraces the sensory experiences of the community’s activities and daily life. But when the reality of her situation sinks in, Ruth feels betrayed and flees the facility in search of something familiar.
Inspired by writer/director Sarah Friedland‘s work as a memory care worker and teaching artist to older adults, Familiar Touch is an intergenerational production made in collaboration with the residents and care workers at a Los Angeles retirement community. The groundbreaking coming-of-old-age narrative is rooted in Ruth’s perspective –underscoring how, even as Ruth’s world transforms, she remains herself.
CAST & CREATIVES
Familiar Touch stars Kathleen Chalfant (Kinsey, The Last Days Of Disco), Carolyn Michelle (Russian Doll, The Chi), Andy McQueen (Outer Banks, Fahrenheit 451), and H. Jon Benjamin (Bob’s Burgers, Master Of None).
Alexandra Byer, Sarah Friedland, and Matthew Thurm all serve as producers, while Sarah Friedland also serves as writer and director.
RELEASE
What a phenomenal trailer. The film has been generating some incredible buzz, and based on the trailer, one can see why. The film looks to be a heartbreakingly powerful exploration of dementia and all the issues associated with its onset. Under the care of Sarah Friedland, the film promises to be an incredibly realistic and heartfelt triumph that deserves to be seen on the big screen. That, coupled with what will be a powerful performance from Kathleen Chalfant, makes Familiar Touch a must-see.
Familiar Touch will be coming to select UK & Ireland cinemas on 19th June.
Will you be heading to your local multiplex to catch the film? Drop a comment in the chat below.
Meet Phil Roberts! He’s the dedicated owner, daily content manager, and editor-in-chief of The Future of the Force. Phil is a budding novelist who turned his passion toward writing about the franchises he loves back in 2016. He’s a huge fan of all things Star Wars, Batman, DC, Marvel, Star Trek, Indiana Jones, Ghostbusters, King Kong, and the Ray Harryhausen movies. Phil is a BFI-accredited journalist and a distinguished member of the Film Critics Association UK.
If he’s not catching a movie at the cinema, you can bet he’s streaming something just as awesome!
