"I wish I could go back and tell her that all the "no's," all the years of stagnation and rejection, don't mean anything about her skill or value as an artist.

Sarah Friedland, director of Venice's multiple prizewinner FAMILIAR TOUCH joins for a HFF Hopeful Conversation

I was so incredibly moved watching Sarah Friedland’s debut feature, FAMILIAR TOUCH. The choices were bold and distinct, and always spot on. Sarah manages to avoid sentimentality but delivers a deep emotional wallop. It always feels completely truthful. It also features at its center one of the top performances in recent memory. It may be a quiet film, b…