World premiere of Baltasar Kormákur’s film “Touch” held in Hiroshima

The world premiere of Baltasar Kormákur’s new film, “Touch,” took place over the weekend at an international film festival in Hiroshima. The event was attended by survivors of the atomic bombing, who felt that the film tells an essential story that should be shared globally.

“Touch,” based on a narrative by Ólaf Jóhann Ólafsson, is partially set in Hiroshima. It follows the character Kristófer, a retired restaurant owner and widower, who travels to Japan in search of his long-lost fiancée, Miko, who vanished 50 years ago under tragic circumstances. Kormákur expressed that the audience seemed intrigued, particularly because the repercussions of the bombing are not frequently discussed in Japan.

The film also resonates on a personal level with many attendees, especially those of advanced age who lived through the devastation. Kormákur remarked on the powerful atmosphere around the survivors, noting that they have faced significant stigma, as depicted in the film. Many attendees could relate to Kristófer’s story and Miko’s fate, which mirrors the experiences of numerous Japanese women of that era.

The film is set to be released worldwide in January. Among the attendees were representatives from Nihon Hidankyo, an organization of atomic bomb survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which will be awarded this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. One survivor expressed deep gratitude for the film, sharing her desire to use it as a platform to highlight the experiences of those who endured the bombings.