At first I thought it was the elegant way you hold your head
The long neck and gentle upward turn of your face
Like a sunflower catching the final rays of sunlight before dusk

Or maybe it was that almost imperceptible, wistful smile
Like an angel tugging at the corners of stubborn lips
At the remembrance of a long forgotten memory or the hope of a better future not yet lived

Is it the look in your eyes?
The glimpse that says I too have felt intense pain and immeasurable joy
I too have explored heights and depths I never thought possible, and I will do it again

I know what it is not
It’s not the colour of your skin or the length of your hair
Not your accent, physique, or nationality

But it could be the sassy way you take a stand for the things you believe in
Or that your entire face creases up when something is really funny
And you close your eyes when your emotions are too powerful to share, just yet

I don’t know what it is
But would you please forgive me for staring at you a little too long on the underground
Or smiling at you as you walk past on the street, though we have never met

It’s just that you look familiar
to me.

Jenny Lee is founder and director of the I Will Tell International Film Festival