Touch Interview: Baltasar & Pálmi Kormákur on Global Romance Movie

ComingSoon Editor-in-Chief Tyler Treese spoke to director Baltasar Kormákur and actor Pálmi Kormákur about their new movie Touch. Based on the novel by Ólafur Jóhann Ólafsson, the film is written and directed by Baltasar. It stars Egill Ólafsson, Kōki, Pálmi, Masahiro Motoki, and Yoko Narahashi. Focus Features will release Touch in theaters on Friday, July 12.

“A romantic and thrilling story that spans several decades and continents; Touch follows one widower’s emotional journey to find his first love who disappeared 50 years ago, before his time runs out,” says the synopsis.

Tyler Treese: Baltasar, Touch is based on this beautiful novel. What was it about the book that really inspired you to turn it into a movie?

Baltasar Kormákur: Well, I thought this is a man’s journey from this small island called Iceland. That journey, like through being in school in London and getting to know this girl Miko from Japan, you kind of learn about these events and these stories. I just loved how that singular view and how the story opens up as we go through, which becomes the obstacle to the love story. I just love the mystery of that and how that reveal is revealed in the book. That kept my attention. Then going through culture and different countries, I thought it was a very appealing opportunity to make a film out of this.

Pálmi, you play a very key role in Touch. You play Kristófer when he is younger, and the movie kind of goes back and forth. You work at this Japanese restaurant, and we see this really beautiful first love develop. What did you like most about showing this very innocent love that sticks with this man for the entirety of his life?

Pálmi Kormákur: For me, it was mostly this connection that happens totally at random or mostly at random. These two people meet each other completely by circumstance, but it takes over the trajectory and the course of their entire lives. I thought was very compelling and touching. Yeah, I think that’s what I most enjoyed about it, for sure.

Baltasar, I love how Touch jumps between the multiple time periods. Did you always have that order of events in mind? Was that in the script or was that something found in the editing?

Baltasar: No, some of it’s found in the editing, but of course, it’s written in that way too. But we did change quite a lot because I wanted to flow as an emotional connection rather than intellect. I didn’t want [to be] like, “Oh, because he said that we cannot see that.” But I wanted it to flow from where we are with the mindset of him and his thoughts. But I also think sometimes I wanted to move it to answer questions that are asked in the modern time, the old story answers those questions. So, they’re kind of speaking to each other.

I also love something about time, the way the restaurant changes into a tattoo parlor. We all feel a bit sad about this when you come to a place that you love, and it’s now it’s a car [dealer], or whatever it is. So I wanted to give a bit of melancholy about how time changes things.

But it was very important to me that both of the stories would be appealing to the audience. So, you’re not waiting, just going through one to see the other. So I infused quite a bit of humor in the more modern story with the older Kristófer. I’m a big fan of Jack, and an old man wandering around a big city can be warm and funny at the same time.

Pálmi, you have so many great scenes with the wonderful Japanese actress, Kōki. What stood out about her as a scene partner? She brings a very vulnerable side to the romance.

Pálmi: Yeah, for sure, she does that. I think her handling of the role was very delicate and refined. I think mostly what stood out was a great handling of the role.

Baltasar, this is portrayed very well in the movie, but the main character is a widower, and there’s this heaviness about moving on romantically after a death. What really interested you about exploring that attempt to move forward, to mourn, but also know that there is more to life?

Baltasar: Yeah, I think that’s, that’s absolutely the way you put it is what I was looking for. But at the same time, I think when you get older, the need for closure becomes a heavier burden. It’s not only from a romantic aspect is also to feel like you need to understand and also come to terms with and maybe forgive and accept. I think all these things that when you get older, the need of that is part of his journey, and he’s never getting closure to this. He’s lived the whole marriage since then. I think romantic is definitely a part of it, but also you want to understand your life and why things went that way before it’s too late. I think that that becomes a heavier burden as we get older.

I was curious because this is set during the pandemic. Do you feel like this unprecedented disaster spurs him on to go on this journey, or is it just a coincidence?

Baltasar: I think in some ways, yes, it does. It does have that effect of, like for me, Kristófer is always a guy who does the opposite of everyone else. His schoolmates are, are, are, he’s a very free spirit in a gentle way while his school mate is, uh, fighting over politics. And he is like, he decides to go and work in a Japanese restaurant, and he has this kind of way of, of, of doing things opposite to other, and when most people are closing down and not traveling, he takes on the journey of his life, you know? I love that kind of contrast in that, and how, how, also for me, I mean, I know people, there were tragedies and, and, and, and, and terrible things that happened in Covid, but also it’s nice to look up on it.

And there were so many silly things also done, decisions. I mean, in this country, there were some funny things that you go like, “What? That doesn’t make any sense to me?” So I thought that was a kind of interesting way, but also because the movie is called Touch and it’s about a young couple that meets and touch each other in a way, psychological, like emotionally, that they’re never the same after it. But it’s happened during a time in the present where you can’t touch each other, you know? Which, which I think is another interesting layer because touch, physical touch is something everyone needs. And it, it wasn’t, we, we were all kind of deprived of it during COVID.

Pálmi, you’ve worked in the past as a production assistant on some films, and you’re so wonderful in this as an actor. What are your aspirations within the film industry? Do you want to do more acting? Do you want to be behind the camera? What’s next for you?

Pálmi: Having gotten to see a diverse range of roles within the film industry, I really just yearn for film. I don’t know that my aspirations are necessarily set in stone as of now, but I would love to continue working in and around film in the future.

Baltasar, I was curious what the biggest challenge was with Touch, specifically in telling this story that spans over 50 years from a storytelling perspective. I thought you found that balance so well with both sides, but that had to be tricky.

Baltasar: Yeah. That, that’s, that’s absolutely one of the things that was very important to me because I do know how complicated and challenging it can be to find the balance between stories. So, one is not lacking, or another one is kind of superior. I thought it was very important. I also thought that they had to speak together. They can’t live without each other. You tie the past story with the present story. For example, it was very important to me that there would be great chemistry between Kristófer and Miko, both in the past and the present. But if that doesn’t work in the past, you’re not as interested in the journey and the present.

So it had to be that, but also on a more practical level, shooting in three countries and, and, and, and, and two continents and, and over with three languages with an actor, a wonderful older actor that is dealing with severe Parkinson’s. So I think it’s one of the more challenging films, believe it or not, that I’ve made. People were like, “What about Everest?” Yeah. But it was equally difficult. Also, creating a restaurant from 1969, a Japanese restaurant in London, you have very little to go by, you know?