Big Touch

We are all human beings, for crying out loud, and we are all designed to thrive specifically through human touch. Filmmaker Christopher Tenzis illustrates this basic human need beautifully in the short film, Big Touch. The film is only just over three minutes long, and this review will be just as brief. Big Touch is an Afro-surrealist story about a giant woman, a tiny man, and the transformative power of physical touch.

“…drags her daughter away, not seeing Judy’s kind eyes and a bright smile.”

The story opens with a little girl (Arabella Frost) chastised by her mother (Carly Stewart) for messing with an elevator button. When the elevator opens, a large woman, Judy (Astra Marie Varnado), makes eye contact with the girl. Before you know it, the intimidated mother drags her daughter away, not seeing Judy’s kind eyes and bright smile. As a deflated Judy walks to her car, she sees a man (Raymond Ejiofor) on his knees shivering, and now Judy is the one intimidated.

Big Touch is a short and sweet story of what it means to be human. Writer/director Tenzis gets the tone perfect, and the score of “Song of the Bird” performed by Sheku Kanneh-Mason provides a beautiful, emotional accompaniment as well. The short gets right to the point and makes a huge impact in doing so.