We’re honoured to welcome acclaimed author, film critic and dementia-care educator Rose Capp, who will introduce Familiar Touch and lead a post-screening Q&A.

Rose brings a rare combination of expertise in cinema and dementia care. She is the author of Demystifying Dementia: Everything You Need to Know, a registered nurse, dementia-care educator and policy advisor with Dementia Australia.

Following the screening, audiences will have the opportunity to engage directly with Rose in a thought-provoking Q&A about the film’s themes, the representation of dementia on screen and the realities of residential aged care. Copies of her book will also be available for purchase on the night.

This special event promises to be a highlight of the festival, bringing together film lovers, carers, health professionals and community members for an evening of meaningful cinema and conversation.

Film Description:

Amid the haze of fading memory and shifting desires, Ruth, a retired cook, quietly navigates her transition to assisted living. With grace, wit, and the enduring threads of her identity, she deals with her changing sense of self and her bonds with those who care for her. As her surroundings grow unfamiliar, something unexpected begins to take shape – what if we glow most warmly at the edges of memory?

For anyone who has felt themselves change, but never disappear – a coming-of-old-age story that belongs to us all.