Familiar Touch is a touching drama about the battles of dementia, from the directorial debut of Sarah Friedland.
The film tells the tale of an ageing lady, Ruth (Kathleen Chalfant), who at the start of the film is being moved from her family home of some time into a residential care facility by her devoted son, Steve, due to her being onset by dementia.
This film garnered critical acclaim at the 81st Venice International Film Festival – winning Best Director, Debut and Actress.
From the outset, we are made aware of the difficulties of dementia not just from the sufferer but with the family. She treats lunch with Steve, as an innocent flirtatious meet-cute. As they are about to leave their home for the last time, Steve pops back in to get her luggage. The camera lingers on Ruth as she sits in the car innocently, not knowing of the life change that is about to take place.
At the care home, Ruth is met by Vanessa (Carolyn Michelle) who is a well-trained care professional when dealing with mentally crippled individuals. Ruth navigates breakfast and dinner trying to talk to other people in the care home.
As a former cook, Ruth finds agency by helping prepare meals in the kitchen. She morphs in between younger selves, taking Vanessa to be her daughter as she makes food for her while she studies for a nursing exam. This agency allows her to still hold on to her identity and relevance in her dwindling years.
Her one-on-one meetings with diagnostician, Brian (Andy McQueen) are notable as she speaks well and lucidly, but a test about saying as many words beginning with ‘F’ slowly shows us the faculties are slowly depleting.
For a first time director, Friedland has a real grasp of the material. Coming from a background of dance and choreography, she is aware of the nature of movement and behaviour how a little movement can tell a whole story.
Tellingly, this story is told from the point of view of Ruth herself and not those looking after her. Too often, tales of elderly people are peripheral in our culture – this allows an elderly woman with dementia to be at the front of the story. Chalfant (a Broadway veteran) imbues Ruth with so much life and resilience you cannot not but admire the craft on display. The quiet stillness of the film and the bravery to employ such a calm is resounding.
There is little or no soundtrack or score to the film, no swelling of euphoric or ominous underscoring except when a party at the home offers a chance for the community to dance. Ruth dances with Steve and we feel we are left with a joyous note, until a coda offers us that brutal swipe of reality and time passing.
Familiar Touch is out from 19th June.
My thanks to Strike Media for the review opportunity.
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