Writer/director Frank Sun brings a tale of after-school mischief that becomes a powerful snapshot of identity, family heritage, and the search for acceptance. Two first generation young immigrant teenagers, Lin (Kenny Ridwan) and best friend Walid (Mahi Alam), sneak into Lin’s mother’s Chinese restaurant to burn pirate DVDs they can sell at school. Lin is caught off guard when his high school crush walks in and is soon drawn into her world of rebellion. Frank Sun captures the weight of cultural assimilation through a coming-of-age lens, offering a quiet, tender look into the young immigrant experience of trying to fit in.
WE ARE KINGS is in contention at the prestigious OSCAR qualifying Tribeca Film Festival and was selected from 13,000 entrants.
Frank Sun is a filmmaker and cinematographer based in New York City, whose work is shaped by a life lived between cultures. Born in China and raised in the American South, his storytelling draws from the complexities of identity, assimilation, and belonging—experiences that continue to inform his unique voice. Frank began his career shaping raw, emotionally charged narratives on CBS’s Survivor, where he honed his instinct for story in unpredictable environments. Since then, he’s brought his distinct visual style—an elegant balance of raw intimacy and cinematic polish—to commercial work for brands like Peloton, Ralph Lauren, Lexus, and NYFW. Now turning his focus to original narrative work, Frank is developing a slate of short films and a debut feature that explore ambition, abandonment, and cultural tension.
Scott Aharoni (Executive & Creative Producer) is an award-winning producer and director whose work has been showcased at prestigious festivals worldwide, including Sundance, SXSW, Tribeca, and more. One of his standout short films earned a coveted spot on the 94th Academy Awards shortlist for Best Live Action Short. His most recent feature — starring Steve Buscemi, John Magaro, and Britt Lower — took home the Audience Choice Award at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival. Currently, he serves as executive producer on Chronology of Water, the directorial debut of Kristen Stewart, as well as The Carpenter’s Son, featuring Nicolas Cage and Noah Jupe.
Executive Producer Alex Constantin is a Romanian immigrant and currently an executive in streaming. He started his career in finance at JPMorgan before pivoting to the entertainment industry where he previously worked as an executive at Lionsgate. Producer Lou Wang-Holborn is originally from Beijing, China. Most recently, Lou worked as the Associate and Post Producer for the feature film BLUE SUN PALACE which premiered at Semaine de la Critique, Cannes 2024. The beautiful cinematography was created by Stephan Nachmann.
WE ARE KINGS will be making its world premiere at Tribeca Film Festival on Sunday June 8th at 5:30 PM at the Shorts Theater at Spring Studios and will be celebrated as part of the festival’s ‘Floating Roots’ category.
