Focus Features to Adapt Amber Garza’s Novel “When I Was Young” into a Film

Amber Garza’s words will be coming to life on the big screen…

Focus Features and Will Packer Productions are developing When I Was You, a feature adaptation based on the forthcoming book from the Latina author.

Amber Garza

Described as a female-driven thriller, When I Was You centers on Kelly Medina, whose obsession starts on an ordinary fall morning when she gets a call from her son’s pediatrician. It’s a cruel mistake; her son left for college a year ago. The receptionist quickly apologizes: another Kelly Medina, who’s half her age, is a new patient.

For days, Kelly can’t stop thinking about the woman who shares her name, lives in her same town, has a baby, and her whole life ahead of her. When Kelly just happens to bump into the single mother outside that pediatrician’s office, it’s simple curiosity getting the better of her. When they become friends, Kelly can’t help but find a renewed sense of purpose taking care of this young woman and her adorable baby boy. And when one Kelly disappears, well, the other one may know why.

The book is slated for release, via MIRA, in August 2020. Will Packer and James Lopezwill produce the film project under the Will Packer Productions banner.

Garza’s works include The Girl Frozen in TimeThe Last Time I Saw Her, and the Prowl trilogy.