Award winning indie film “Reunion” survives LA fires and heads to Manhattan Film Festival

Written and directed by first generation Korean American storyteller John W. Kim, Reunion follows an Asian

American funeral home worker who goes to his high school reunion with the hope of jump-starting his life, only

to be mistaken for the most successful alumnus of another school – a mysterious Asian billionaire whom no one

has seen since graduation. This mistaken identity comedy sets in motion a dynamic modern farce and a fantasy

twist on the classic Cinderella tale.

“Reunion” had its world premiere at Cinequest Film Festival in San Jose on March 15th, where over 500 people attended and the film went on to win the Audience Award for Best Comedy Feature!

“Reunion” is the kind of true independent film story that feels increasingly rare. Against enormous odds, our team completed the film in Los Angeles during the devastating Eaton fires of January 2025. Several members of our cast and crew experienced displacement and personal loss during production, and there were moments where it genuinely felt impossible to continue. But we kept going because we believed deeply in the story we were telling and in the importance of independent filmmaking.

What emerged is a heartfelt ensemble comedy about identity, second chances, and the universal desire to be seen.

The cast includes Academy Award-nominated actress Candy Clark (“American Graffiti”), Jake Choi (“Single Parents”), Kelli Garner (“Lars and the Real Girl”), Madeline Zima (“Twin Peaks”), Ludi Lin (“Mortal Kombat”), Ryan Hansen (“Party Down”), Helena Mattsson (“Surrogates”), Sarah Waisman (“Fallout”), and Crystal Rivers (“General Hospital”).