Touch, by acclaimed Icelandic filmmaker Baltasar Kormákur, is a story that lingers long after it’s ended, much like how a caress stays on your skin. It’s a visually stunning movie that uses clever cinematography and restrained storytelling to take you on its journey.
The story follows widower Kristofer, who is newly diagnosed with early-stage dementia leaves his Icelandic hometown to connect with his first love.
Fifty years earlier while studying in London, Kristofer met Miko while working in her father’s Japanese restaurant. They fall in love, and then Miko suddenly disappears. Kristofer never stopped loving Miko and on his doctor’s advice to ‘tie up loose ends’, embarks on a journey to discover the truth about her disappearance before his own memory fails him.
Transitioning beautifully between the beginning of this love story set in the 1960’s, and the modern pandemic world, we watch the young Kristofer (played by Palmi Kormákur) fall in love Miko (played by Japanese model and songwriter Kōki), and her culture during a time when social norms constrained relationships.
The modern pandemic world is cold, isolating and empty, yet the older Kristofer (played by Egill Ólafsson) perseveres with his journey, finally learning the truth.
This story is layered, using the idea of both physical and symbolic touch as a clever connection, woven between each story as they interplay. This movie is gentle while giving a sucker-punch to your soul, leaving you breathless. 4.5 stars.
Touch is currently showing at Luna Palace Cinemas as part of the Saxo Scandinavian Film Festival.