Program Note
Joey, tormented by obsessive-compulsive disorder and childhood trauma, begins therapy sessions in a psychologist's office—where she soon starts sharing, perhaps in too much vivid detail and for far too long, her intense relationship with a charming alien named Brian. According to Joey, sex with Brian was not only pleasurable but also miraculously soothing—his touch could instantly erase all her anxiety. But that healing power soon begins to unravel her life. When a plumbing issue arises at the home of Craig—Joey's gay friend who has been letting her stay—Joey and Craig temporarily move in with Brian and his secretary, Laura. What follows is a tangled web of emotional dependence and jealousy among the four. Each of them—Joey, Craig, and Laura—leans on Brian to fill their own voids and anxieties, while Brian subtly manipulates them, leading the group into a chaotic spiral of sex, blood, and violence. Touch Me is a witty and seductive psychological horror thriller that satirizes human dependency and obsession through director Addison's delightfully offbeat sensibility. It's a twisted, sexy tale of desire and control wrapped in a bizarre web of intimacy and fear. (Kani KIM)