Music Box Buys Venice Prizewinning Film ‘Familiar Touch’ Directed by Rising Filmmaker Sarah Friedland (EXCLUSIVE)

variety.com:

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Music Box has acquired North American rights to “Familiar Touch,” Sarah Friedland’s feature debut which won three major awards in Venice including the Lion of the Future prize.

Represented by Memento International, “Familiar Touch” also won best actress for Kathleen Chalfant, and best director in the Horizons section at this year’s Venice Film Festival.

Friedland is now nominated in the “Someone to Watch” award category ahead of the 2025 Independent Spirit Awards. “Familiar Touch,” which could be described as a “coming-of-old age film,” stars Ruth as Chalfant, an older woman who faces dementia and transitions into assisted living as she contends with her conflicting relationship with herself and her caregivers amidst her shifting memory, age identity and desires.

Chalfant stars in the film opposite Carolyn Michelle, Andy McQueen and H. Jon Benjamin. “Music Box has been a steadfast champion of bold, artist-driven, independent cinema and I’m delighted to partner with them in bringing our coming-of-old-age film to North American audiences,” said Friedland.