Touch

Filmmaker Jen McGowan's short fiction film is a vignette about Jean (Lily Knight), a morose older woman waiting on a subway platform, who is approached by Heather (Rachel Kanouse), a voluble young woman on her way to an employment interview. As Heather babbles on nervously about her fear of being late, Jean responds haltingly, gradually revealing that she has been contemplating suicide (which comes as little surprise). In the end, when Heather takes Jean's hand and the two stand together, it's evident that Jean has decided against taking her life. A parable about loneliness and the importance of human contact, the film festival favorite Touch is nicely acted, atmospherically staged, and effectively edited. Despite these virtues, however, the short is also regrettably thin and a bit obvious. Still, from a technical perspective, this can serve as a useful teaching tool for aspiring filmmakers, who can benefit from studying the ways in which McGowan has fashioned such a professional work on an obviously limited budget and emulate her example. A strong optional purchase. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)