Award-winning feature film Yellow Rose, directed by Diane Paragas, captivated audiences during a successful North American film festival run this month. The last screening of year is at the Hawaii International Film Festival in Kauai at the Waimea Theater tonight at 7pm. Producers Karen Elizaga and Rey Cuerdo will be in attendance for the screening.
The immigration drama has been hailed for its compelling storytelling and moving original songs, receiving two Grand Jury Awards for Best Narrative Feature and four Audience Awards in the past two weeks:
● Best Feature, Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival
● Best Narrative Feature, Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival
● People’s Choice Award Best Overall Feature, Vancouver Asian Film Festival
● Best Narrative Feature – Audience Award, Hawaii International Film Festival
● Audience Award, Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival
● Audience Award, San Diego Asian Film Festival
“We have had the great honor of sharing Yellow Rose with a variety of audiences and the responses have been very overwhelming,” says Paragas. “The outpouring of love and support from moviegoers and festival juries has been deeply moving and encouraging as we continue to garner support for our historic theatrical release.”
Yellow Rose is a timely story about a Filipino teen from a small Texas town who fights to pursue her dreams as a country music performer while facing the threat of deportation. The film was recently acquired by Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions (SPWA) for worldwide distribution and will be distributed in the Philippines by ABS CBN.
“The fact that this film is by and about Filipino Americans, such a rarity in cinema, is yet more proof that there are audiences out there who want to see stories like this in Hollywood,” says Deanna Wong, Executive Director, Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival.
This marks a total of 14 festival awards for the film since it premiered in May at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival — including Best Breakout Performance presented to its leading actress, two-time Tony Award nominee Eva Noblezada.
“Yellow Rose was one of our most powerful films at PAAFF this year. It is groundbreaking and is a story that is not often depicted in mainstream American films. We are extremely excited to see this film get a wide theatrical release,” says Selena Yip, Festival Director, Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival.
About Yellow Rose
Directed by Diane Paragas, Yellow Rose tells the story of a headstrong Filipino teen, from a small Texas town, fighting to pursue her country music dreams while facing the threat of deportation. The film stars Tony Award Nominee Eva Noblezada (Hadestown, Miss Saigon), Tony Award Winner and Disney Legend Lea Salonga (Once on this Island, Miss Saigon), Princess Punzalan (Mula Sa Puso), Dale Watson (Friday Night Lights), Gustavo Gomez (“The Walking Dead”), Libby Villari (Boyhood), and Liam Booth (Ghosts Never Sleep).
The film is written by Diane Paragas, Annie Howell, and Celena Cipriaso. The film’s producers include Cecilia R. Mejia, Rey Cuerdo, Orian Williams, Diane Paragas, Executive Producers Cinematografo Originals and Karen Elizaga, and Co-Producers Jeremiah Abraham, Thea Kerman, and Courtney Jones.
Diane Paragas is managed by LBI Entertainment and is represented by Morris Yorn Barnes & Levine.
Lia Chang is an actor, a multi-media content producer and co-founder of Bev’s Girl Films, making films that foster inclusion and diversity on both sides of the camera. Bev’s Girl Films’ debut short film, Hide and Seek was a top ten film in the Asian American Film Lab’s 2015 72 Hour Shootout Filmmaking Competition, and she received a Best Actress nomination. BGF collaborates with and produces multi-media content for artists, actors, designers, theatrical productions, composers, musicians and corporations. Lia has appeared in the films Wolf, New Jack City, A Kiss Before Dying, King of New York, Big Trouble in Little China, The Last Dragon, Taxman and Hide and Seek. She is profiled in Jade Magazine and Playbill.com.
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