Girlfriend shows up to watch a short film in California — has no idea her boyfriend created it to propose on stage

You have to ace your proposal and make it one to remember, and the best way to do it is by making it personal. A woman named Janna Mae was stoked when she realized her boyfriend, Austin Kuniyoshi, was popping the question most unexpectedly, reported PEOPLE. In a video shared by Mae on TikTok, the woman assumed she was going to watch a short film with Kuniyoshi and some close friends. It was not long before she realized that there was more to the short film with familiar characters, memories, and real-life situations she had experienced moments ago. Her reaction has the internet in tears.

The clip began with a glimpse of the duo comfortably seated as they waited for the film to begin. Initially, she spotted her friends who were actors in the film, so she didn’t doubt much. Moments later, she was stunned to see herself and Kuniyoshi also appear on the big screen. “Then my friend Ernie appeared, who isn’t even an actor,” she remarked. The man was seated right beside the duo and pretended he had no idea he was being filmed. Getting confused and excited, Mae looked around to see if anyone had any clue what was up. The film quickly jumped to a scene shot moments before when Mae and her boyfriend took their seats in the theater. 

As it captured every detail and dialogue from just minutes ago, Mae started to think she was experiencing some sort of déjà vu. When her partner began to speak in the film, she realized there was something more, something important. Kuniyoshi began by sharing glimpses of when they first met at UCLA. “A story always has three things — a beginning, a middle, and an end,” the man’s voiceover said. “Our story didn’t end,” he continued, “The truth is, I’m still in love.” Mae started to get teary-eyed. As she sat and revisited the moments they’d been through, she was guessing where this was headed.

The story went on, and Kuniyoshi walked down memory lane, including many firsts. Since he first met Mae at his dance workshop, he called his old team and had them choreograph a dance to add to the film. That touched his partner, because she missed watching him. "I’ve been telling him that I missed watching him dance like he used to, so that inspired him to choreograph an original dance piece,” she remarked. Featuring every little win they made together over the 10 years of their relationship, Mae found herself laughing with joyful tears. When the film was over, and the lights came on, Kuniyoshi walked out with his ukulele, singing and finally popping the question — to which Mae said, "Yes!" 

Kuniyoshi sang Ingrid Michaelson's "The Way I Am,” a song that he chose 10 years ago when he asked Mae to be his girlfriend. The unforgettable moment concluded with a last surprise — all of their friends who were in on the surprise, seated at the back of the theater, cheering them on. Mae was proud of the “community effort” put into pulling off this one-of-a-kind proposal. "He assembled friends from different backgrounds, skill sets, and points in our lives to contribute to all the different parts of the proposal,” the woman said. She later spotted her parents, too, who hid in the corner so she wouldn’t catch them before the big reveal. Priconomics shared interesting stats on proposals and engagements after surveying 1,000 women. 

The average age for getting engaged in the U.S. is 27.2 years for women, and 28.7 years for men. Most couples wait around 3 years before they can propose. Only 2% wait for 10 years or more before popping the question. Data from The Knot’s 2024 Jewelry & Engagement Study revealed that 30% of individuals surveyed noted that their proposal was a complete surprise, while 53% mentioned they had an idea that it was soon coming, but didn't know the exact time. As for Mae, it was a wholesome bit of both, and the couple has started saving for their big day while they soak up all the love and tenderness from their engagement. @loudhannahbanana said, "You don't just have a fiancé that loves you, you have a community that does too." @leleoutdoors added, "Crying because this is actually adorable." 

You can follow Janna Mae (@janna.em) on TikTok for more content on filming and lifestyle. 

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