Touch (2022 film)
2022 film by Justin Burquist
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Touch is a 2022 crime horror short film written and directed by Justin Burquist. The film stars Eva Ceja, Randy Davison, Steve Froehlich and Nick Young.
- Evette Betancourt
- Christopher Holloway
- Eva Ceja
- Randy Davison
- Steve Froehlich
- Nick Young
- Jayce Venditti
- Ron Christopher Jones
| Touch | |
|---|---|
Poster | |
| Directed by | Justin Burquist |
| Written by | Justin Burquist |
| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Ray Gallardo |
| Edited by | Fernando Garcia |
| Music by | Matthew Gradala |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Klipist |
Release dates |
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Running time | 8 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $10,000 |
The film received positive reviews from critics and won Best Horror Short Film at Berlin Short Film Festival, nominated for Best Art Direction at Oceanside International Film Festival, and screened at Monster Fest and the San Diego Comic-Con Independent Film Festival.
Plot
Homicide police bring in a mysterious woman with a supernatural ability to help them solve a gruesome murder.
Cast
- Eva Ceja as Carmen
- Randy Davison as Victim
- Steve Froehlich as Killer
- Nick Young as Detective Hooper
- Jayce Venditti as Deputy Smith
- Ron Christopher Jones as Deputy O'Neal
Production
Justin Burquist used the film's technique on a previous music video[1] and said the film is influenced by Se7en and Brian De Palma.[2] Principal photography took place at Gray Area Multimedia in downtown San Diego in 2021.[2][3] John Menvielle helped with sound recording, visual effects and editing.[4] Jayce Venditti and Ron Christopher Jones were also cast in the film.[5] It was made for a $10,000 budget.[6]
Release
The film premiered at Los Angeles Crime & Horror Film Festival on November 20, 2022.[7] It screened at Monster Fest with Matthew Holmes' The Cost,[8][9] Berlin Short Film Festival,[10] Oceanside International Film Festival[11] and Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival.[1][12]
It was distributed by Klipist on May 22, 2024.[13]
Reception
Critical response
Rebecca Cherry at Film Carnage praised Ceja's performance and said the film was "a captivating, mysterious blend of crime thriller and horror," scoring it 8 out of 10.[14] Mac Brewer at Horror Society scored it 4 out of 5 noting they "would love to see this further explored or redone into a feature film" because it is "a unique crime thriller/horror tale that has so much more potential."[15] Simon Thompson at Bloody Flicks praised the film, saying it was "visually captivating, and striking in its originality."[6] Adam La Rosa at Monster Fest said the film was "interesting and mind-bending."[9]
Accolades
| Festival | Year | Award | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Crime & Horror Film Festival | 2022 | Best Editing | Fernando A. Garcia | Won | [4] |
| Berlin Short Film Festival | 2023 | Best Horror Short Film: Audience Award | Evette Betancourt, Justin Burquist, Christopher Holloway | Won | |
| Oceanside International Film Festival | 2023 | Best Art Direction | Nicole Valencia | Nominated | [11] |
| San Diego Film Awards | 2023 | Best Narrative Short Film | Evette Betancourt, Justin Burquist, Christopher Holloway | Won | [16] |
| Best Sound Design | Joe Godfrey | Won | |||
| Best Director | Justin Burquist | Nominated | [5] | ||
| Best Lead Actress | Eva Ceja | Nominated | |||
| Best Cinematography | Ray Gallardo | Nominated | |||
| Best Editing | Fernando Garcia | Nominated | |||
| Best Production Design | Nicole Valencia | Nominated | |||
| Best Visual Effects | John Menvielle | Nominated | |||
| Brightside Tavern Film Festival | 2024 | Best Director Horror/Thriller | Justin Burquist | Nominated | [17] |
| Best Horror/Thriller | Touch | Nominated | |||
| Best Concept | Nominated |