Ageing gracefully

A sensitive portrayal of dementia, with moments of brilliance.

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Those apprehensive about another dementia drama need not be put off. Familiar Touch is captivating, authentic and surprisingly uplifting, without invalidating the hard truths that go with losing a loved one as their mind slips into a different realm.

It is anchored by an astonishing performance from 80-year-old stage actress Kathleen Chalfant as Ruth Goldman - a fit and feisty woman whose transition into an assisted living facility is gently and respectfully portrayed in writer-director Sarah Friedland's accomplished fiction feature debut.