"Touch" brings us into the world of Sadism and Masochism from both points of view. The concept of the masochism enjoying the masochism is what earns "shrinks" a living. However, the psychoanalysts of the "why's" is not my concern at this moment.What concerns me is the timing of the years that lapsed between being held captive at the age of 8 until his release and entering high school. Was he educated during those years? The film indicates not. So, how could he go into high school ready for academics with no educational background?

Be careful, this movie is both haunting and thought provoking. It will show you another side of humanity. One could even say that it introduces you to another type of erotic. A lot of life is all about perceptions and relativity. Without being judgemental, you can see almost the opposite of what you may consider reality.

I saw this as part of a compilation of gay-themed shorts entitled "Boys Briefs 2," (advertised as stories about "gay first lust") and wasn't prepared for the dark, disturbing tale that unfolds here. "Touch" gives us a fractured narrative about a young teen who was imprisoned and sexually & physically abused by his captor for quite some time. How much isn't really clear, though the occasional flashbacks suggest that the abuser was a man who had been living with the boy and his mother.What makes this short film so unsettling is that it is completely from the POV of the victim - now freed and living with foster parents. This young man now so identifies with his former captor that he cannot differentiate between real love & affection and being beaten - the two have been so thoroughly entwined in his traumatized head that he is set on a course of constant self-abasement to find his former "lover" again - or some equivalent from strangers.The point the film makes is psychologically acute, and no less unnerving for being so.

From the very first scene, this film is dark, and engaging as the viewer finds out what is going on, and then is immediately put into the mind of the central character.The film explores a harrowing experience and one that in many ways is so horrific it is unmentionable. I found the tone, dialogue and atmosphere almost addictive, however the plot moves almost single-mindedly to a pre-determined end without much deviation. This is probably because it is a short film.Not for the faint of heart - but I felt compelled to keep on watching.