Jessie Rees Film to Premiere in Newport Beach
The short film White Room, directed by JT Rees, debuts at the Newport Beach Film Festival on October 21, 2026.
Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Cancer
The Jessie Rees Foundation will debut its new short film, White Room, at the Newport Beach Film Festival on October 21, 2026. The 12-minute project aims to support families and individuals processing grief following the loss of a child.
Why it matters
The film serves to further the mission of the Jessie Rees Foundation, which provides financial and emotional support to families battling pediatric cancer. By sharing a perspective on loss, the foundation hopes to assist those navigating the profound challenges of grief.
The foundation has distributed nearly 600,000 Joy Jars since 2011 to pediatric cancer patients. In the United States, approximately 15,500 children are diagnosed with cancer annually, while the disease accounts for about 1,800 deaths each year.
The players
Jessie Rees Foundation
This organization supports families battling pediatric cancer by providing financial assistance and distributing gift-filled Joy Jars.
JT Rees
He is the 24-year-old writer and director of the short film White Room.
Jessie Rees
She was a young advocate who died from brain cancer in 2012 and inspired the creation of the foundation that bears her name.
The details
Written and directed by 24-year-old JT Rees, the film focuses on the emotional journey of coping with the loss of a child. It highlights the work of the Irvine-based foundation, which manages operations out of a 6,500-square-foot facility to support families across the country.
Timeline
2011: Jessie Rees began distributing Joy Jars.
January 5, 2012: Jessie Rees died at age 12.
October 21, 2026: White Room premieres at the Newport Beach Film Festival.
The Big Picture
The premiere of this film represents a new creative milestone for the Jessie Rees Foundation, expanding its support services beyond the physical distribution of Joy Jars. This transition reflects an effort to address the psychological and emotional impacts of pediatric illness.
The foundation provides support services including Joy Jars and financial aid to help families navigate the realities of a pediatric cancer diagnosis. Those interested in the organization's work or grieving resources can engage with the foundation's ongoing programs.
The takeaway
The debut of this film highlights the evolving methods organizations use to provide emotional support to grieving families. It demonstrates a move toward using narrative storytelling to supplement traditional care programs for those impacted by pediatric cancer.
Further reading
Learn more about the organization behind this mission on the Newport Beach Cancer section of our site.
More information
For more information on the foundation's mission and resources, visit the Jessie Rees Foundation official website.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Daily Breeze.
