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Julian Reyes

Julian Reyes was a Puerto Rican American documentary filmmaker and a co-founder of Resonance Films with Kayla Rossi. He directed, edited, and narrated ‘’I Am Still Me: A Minjae Lee Story’‘, which premiered on March 20, 2037, and was acquired by PBS for streaming. Julian lived with epilepsy and several chronic illnesses that affected filming, travel, and editing.

Career

Main article: Resonance Films

Julian and Kayla co-founded Resonance Films as a disability-centered production company in Los Angeles. The company’s exact founding date and Julian’s path from incomplete college study into professional filmmaking were not established consistently.

Julian had wanted to make films since age six. His later experiences with epilepsy and chronic illness helped shape Resonance Films’s disability-centered purpose, but the exact age when his epilepsy began was not established.

‘’I Am Still Me’’ developed after the public response to Minjae Lee and Minh Tran’s early-fall-2036 wedding. Julian and producer Kayla Rossi filmed Minjae during multiple visits to Baltimore. Julian’s health sometimes interrupted production; a severe cyclic-vomiting episode caused at least one absence that Minjae noticed.

The documentary premiered in 2037 and was later acquired by PBS. Fifth Bar sources describe Fifth Bar Films as a collaborator, but the current documentary file does not establish its exact production role.

Health, Disability, and Access

Julian had focal epilepsy, cyclic vomiting syndrome, chronic migraines, and reflux. POTS and autism were suspected but not formally established. Existing development sources also document emotional-abuse history and trauma-related symptoms without consistently establishing a specific PTSD diagnosis.

His work routines accommodated seizure risk, light sensitivity, nausea, fatigue, and periods when he could not film or edit. Kayla handled production coordination and other operational work when Julian’s symptoms limited him.

Cultural Identity and Communication

Julian was Puerto Rican American and used English and Spanish. Further details about his birthplace, family history, bilingual upbringing, and physical appearance were not established independently.

He communicated quietly and deliberately. His documentary work emphasized allowing disabled subjects to represent the full range of their lives rather than reducing them to either suffering or inspiration.

Family and Core Relationships

Kayla Rossi

Main article: Julian Reyes and Kayla Rossi

Julian and Kayla had known each other since high school and began dating a few months before production of ‘’I Am Still Me’‘. They co-founded Resonance Films, where Kayla served as producer and field coordinator alongside Julian’s direction and editing.

Minjae Lee

Main article: Julian Reyes and Minjae Lee

Minjae was the subject of Julian’s most prominent film. Their relationship continued beyond production, and Minjae regarded Julian and Kayla as his “movie friends.”

Isabela Rossi and Miss Shirley

Isabela “Izzy” Rossi, Kayla’s older sister, treated Julian as a younger brother and called him JR. Miss Shirley, Julian and Kayla’s older neighbor, brought him stomach-friendly muffins during difficult health periods.

Memorable Quotes

“This one’s gonna break me.”

Julian spoke after the final day of filming with Minjae.

“He’s not tragic. Just real. Brilliant. Funny. A husband. A musician. A person.”

Julian answered a reporter’s question at the documentary premiere.

“You’re perfect, just like this.”

Julian reassured Minjae during filming.

“Did good, right? For him?”

Julian asked Kayla after the premiere.

Characters Supporting Characters Living Characters Filmmakers Disabled Characters Chronic Illness Characters Latinx Characters Puerto Rican Characters