To the editor:

As the summer comes to a close, we have been reflecting on our favorite experiences over the past few months, of which the FLM FWD festival was definitely top on the list. On the weekend of Aug. 6-7, we arrived at the Barrington Town Hall for an evening of food trucks and movies that illustrated the best of our small community.

After living in town for over 15 years, we have never been treated to a more special evening where the organizers created a campus between the library, the senior center, and the town hall that was filled with families, neighbors, games, musicians, and good vibes. There were activities for all ages including climbing walls for kids, amazing local music, and many local food options. Volunteers wearing yellow shirts were floating around letting people know the directions and timing of the different parts of the evening. The event organizers were approachable and eager to tell the stories of how this event came together. And at the same time, they appeared so appreciative to all of us who “showed up.”

The best part of the event came when we were told that the films themselves were ready to begin; As we made our way up the hill, we were treated to what felt like a well-established film festival. There were tables with tablecloths and candlelight, chairs set up in socially distanced ways that were all colorfully adorned, and a large screen with knowledgeable experts who introduced each of the movies and discussed why the films (and their creators) were important individually and collectively. The mission of FLM FWD is to “open up conversations about empathy, our environment, and youth within an American suburban context.” The organization chose films with stories of race, identity, and equity which made those of us in the audience reflect and serves as a call to action. Lisa Lowenstein, Vince Wicker, Braxton Medlin, Dayna Hope Penick, Don Mays, Jack Van Leer, Louise Sloan, and Brian Hoffman clearly worked long hours to create a very special weekend where Barrington residents were introduced to new ideas and new people all within an environment where we felt a little like movie stars ourselves.

With much appreciation to the FLM FWD organizers,

Perri and Jonathan Leviss 

Barrington