BIG TOUCH: The Grandest of Small Gestures
Big Touch contains far more than its diminutive runtime would suggest. A very short-short, the film draws its audience into several small, human moments. Written, directed, and edited by Christopher Tenzis, the film dives into just a few minutes in a woman’s life as she perceives, is perceived, and finally, seems to release perception altogether.
With creative technical camerawork by Lim Teck Siang, Big Touch does justice to its simple, meaningful narrative. Close-ups and strategic camera placement show us distorted images of our characters — how they are seen by others, and perhaps even how they see themselves. When the characters connect with each other, the camera becomes level. The distortions disappear and we see the characters as nothing more or less than they are; a vulnerability reveals itself without any need for words.
A moving score, performed by Sheku Kanneh-Mason, sets an emotion that feels fully established after just seconds. With no dialogue and almost no ambient noise, the film’s expressive tone is better served with poignant strings and even a moment of dance. An almost reverent stillness underlies the piece as we and our characters find connection without words.
Big Touch is compact and yet fully complete. Like dance itself, the violin melody and careful cinematography are choreographed to pull us into small movements, small emotions, and profound connections. A single viewing isn’t nearly enough: one is left thinking about the film for hours and will doubtless come back for more.
A short but revelatory experience, Big Touch is a must-watch for the lonely, the ruminating, the isolated — most of us, now. Its components construct a seamless three minutes of immersion. Big Touch is ready to offer you a grounding, compassionate, and purely human moment, in exchange for only the same moment of your time.
Have you seen Big Touch yet? What’s the shortest film you’ve ever seen? Let us know in the comments!
Big Touch is currently showing at the 16th annual short film festival HollyShorts. Their screening schedule can be found here.
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