Sarah Friedland on Familiar Touch | Meet the Filmmakers of New Directors/New Films 2025
April 2, 2025
Exploring bold new works from filmmakers around the world, the 54th New Directors/New Films, our annual festival co-presented with The Museum of Modern Art, is officially underway through April 13. As the festival continues, get to know the filmmakers who speak to the present and anticipate the future of cinema.
Sarah Friedland discusses working in collaboration with an active retirement community in Pasadena, California for Familiar Touch and much more.
What made you first want to be a director?
For me, filmmaking emerged out of a love of choreography and still photography. The collision course of moving images and moving bodies led to my becoming a director.
Was there a film or director you were inspired by or continue to be inspired by?
The works of Chantal Akerman, Lucrecia Martel, and Kelly Reichardt were early inspirations (and continue to inspire me).
In your own words, tell us about your film. What should audiences know?
Familiar Touch is a coming-of-old-age film. I think a movie is best when audiences know very little! But I’ll say that we made it in collaboration with an active retirement community in Pasadena, California. While the lead roles were played by professional actors, the residents and care workers in this community joined us behind-the-scenes both as crew and supporting cast. We facilitated a 5-week filmmaking workshop for residents to learn filmmaking soup-to-nuts during pre-production so that they could decide what part of the production they wanted to collaborate on.
What does it mean to you to show your film at New Directors/New Films?
It means more to me than I can say. I attend the festival each year as a viewer and its the first major festival that programmed my short films. It feels very full circle to be here with my first feature. I’m verklempt!!
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Commit to being stubborn in your filmmaking – no one will fight for your ideas like you will.
What’s a film you saw recently that you enjoyed?
I just saw the restoration of Nightshift by Robina Rose at Anthology Film Archives. I was so taken by Rose’s ability to create a whimsical tone without being twee or cute or undermining its rigorous form.
Familiar Touch. Courtesy of Music Box Films.
Octogenarian Ruth (Kathleen Chalfant) has been living independently, but cracks have started to emerge: toast is placed to dry in the dish rack, confusion rests on her face, the dead are spoken of in present tense while the living (such as a son right before her) go entirely unrecognized. Her entrance into an assisted-living facility begins the strange, transcendent journey that is Familiar Touch, Sarah Friedland’s feature debut, which earned three awards in the 2024 Venice Film Festival Orizzonti Competition, including the Lion of the Future, Best Director, and Best Actress for Chalfant’s astonishing turn. Friedland builds her drama through sharp honesty, and tough as its material may be, few films are so tonally flexible, so able to turn on a dime: stray moments of tenderness, humility, even absurdity poke through, with a love and care for Ruth shown by characters and creators alike. Familiar Touch portends the arrival of major directorial talent.
Sarah Friedland’s Familiar Touch screens on April 2 & April 4. New Directors/New Films takes place April 2-April 13. Explore the lineup and get tickets.
