[This post is part of my Wednesday series — letters from Lake Washington Girls Middle School‘s 8th graders sharing their reflections on our screening + conversation about A Lot Like You.]

Dear Eliachi Kimaro,

I loved discussing your movie with you and talking to you about the journey you took to create this movie. The movie was inspiring and breathtaking. You are such a talented filmmaker and I was amazed to find out this was your first film. The story was gripping and beautiful all at the same time. You were also very well spoken and fun which made it so easy to talk to you about a difficult subject. More specifically, I loved how you put the movie together and how you incorporated your story.

I was impressed at the filming of the movie. I recently did a historical film on the Great Seattle Fire and I know from experience that it is very hard to put a story together in the form of a movie. I know you had other collaborators in the editing and the writing of the film, but I would like to comment on how nicely it was put together. I hope you know by now that you are a very talented filmmaker and I hope you choose to make another movie. The film made me smile and it brought me to tears, and these opposite reactions made me realize that it is a good film. I hope you know your talent and could bring it to another movie in the future. I would very much look forward to seeing another one of your movies.

I was equally astonished by how you wove your personal story into the film. I only have the experience of making a historical film and I understand how hard it would be to share your life story to total strangers. I was so impressed at how brave you were and how willing you were to answer our questions about your life. I know that if it were me up there, I would have been terrified and I was in awe of how calm you were during the film and sharing about your heritage. I want to thank you again for coming to share your film with me and my class. I was affected in many ways by your film and I hope you know that you are immensely talented. I look forward to seeing your next movie.

Thanks again,

Ray

[To read the other posts in this 8th Grade Reviews ALLY series, please CLICK HERE…]