PASADENA — Jean Owen is now a filmmaker. It’s something she always wanted to do and she scored her chance when a movie set landed in her own home.

In Sarah Friedland’s directorial debut, “Familiar Touch,” only two professional actors play residents of a home for older adults.

The remaining appearances, Owen included, are real residents of Villa Gardens, a community for older people in Pasadena.

Owen is a longtime Pasadena resident and made the decision to live at Villa Gardens in 2017. She said it was the best choice she ever made, aside from marrying her husband.

As a child, she often visited film sets, as she had a film actor in her family.

Her visits allowed her a glimpse into behind-the-scenes work, something, years later, she felt other Villa Gardens residents should enjoy and participate in.

Friedland requested that Owen, formerly the Resident Association president, be a lead in casting and scheduling, allowing her to be recognized in the film’s end credits.

“She had me at hello,” Owen said. “I was just so smitten with her, but also with her idea, because as I am aging and learning to age, I was very much in favor of a positive story about (that).”

“Familiar Touch” centers on Ruth (portrayed by Kathleen Chalfant), who navigates memory loss while adjusting to assisted living in Bella Vista — the residence home that is Villa Gardens.

While released by Music Box Films on June 20, the film also received international praise at its debut at the 2024 Venice International Film Festival.

Production lasted through a 15-day period in June 2023, but its preparation was not nearly as short.

A month before filming, a series of workshops were held for residents, who would meet every week to learn about photography, filming and staging, according to Owen.

“By the time the (production) came, we had a pretty good idea of the basics of filmmaking,” she said.

According to Villa Gardens’ Executive Director Shaun Rushforth, five actors portrayed staff in the film and two portrayed residents, while the rest were real members of the community.

“And I would say that we were a big part of the film,” Owen said. “This wouldn’t have been the same if it had been staged.”

Aside from participating in workshops, residents acted as background characters and actively oversaw production from behind the camera.

Owen said she followed a Monday-to-Friday schedule, and carried a clipboard with lists of cast members and their schedules.

“Some days I wasn’t very busy at all,” she said. “One day I happened to be available for a library scene and they needed someone, so I just sat in because I was there.”

While she had a little acting experience, Owen said this process was “remarkable,” as she witnessed work behind the camera along with the acting of her fellow residents.

The residents’ close involvement in the film is reflected in Chalfant’s portrayal of dementia.

“(Chalfant’s) portrayal is so real,” Owen said. “For those that are entering into the world of dementia or Alzheimer’s, it can be a very quiet world.”

She added that the film touched on the character’s humanity and captured a wonderful portrayal of life at a home for older adults.

Magali Galvez, a caregiver at Villa Gardens for nearly 20 years, appeared a couple of times throughout the film, including the final scene.

One of Galvez’s main roles was to assist Carolyn Michelle Smith, who played the primary caregiver in the film.

“The whole movie was very moving,” Galvez said. “Never in a million years I thought they would make a movie here.”

Friedland, who was also a caregiver, made a masterpiece in the eyes of Galvez — who spoke about the hardships, and charms, or caregiving.

“I think (the film) shows the reality of what getting older is, and especially emphasizes (Ruth) losing her memory and that she’s still a person regardless,” she said. “And it makes me want to enjoy my own life to the fullest, too, because it’s not over yet.”

Villa Gardens’ Executive Director Shaun Rushforth echoed this, emphasizing that while people might think homes for older adults are places of last resort, there is still independence in residents regardless of their level of care.

“This film challenges those stereotypes, this idea that just because somebody is having some memory impairments doesn’t mean that they are not a whole person,” he said. “They are a whole person with drives and passions and desires and can contribute.”

Capturing this story at Villa Gardens, however, was no easy task — as Rushforth initially rejected Friedland’s requests to film.

“There’s a lot of trust that takes in bringing in a film crew and I recognized how intrusive filming can be,” he said, emphasizing his initial worries on stereotypes that could arise from a film about aging. “I wanted to make sure that it was in line with our values and that the filming would be done in a way that was respectful of the home of our residents.”

Rushforth spoke frequently with Friedland and realized she was telling an important story in line with Villa Gardens’ values.

As production began, rules such as mandatory background checks and strict COVID-19 protocol were added.

Scheduling was prioritized to ensure that residents could eat on time and that favorite activities wouldn’t be canceled, added Rushforth.

“This is a very personal film, and I think there’s a lot of pride in that, that we got to take part of that and create a realistic view and a fair view,” he said. “And it’s not a romanticized view, it shows hard things (and) it inspires us to be even better.”

For audiences still looking to experience the Villa Gardens magic, “Familiar Touch” is screening at Lumiere Music Hall in Beverly Hills.

Isabel Umekubo is a former AAJA-LA intern with the Southern California News Group.