Yellow Rose, the film by Diane Paragas starring Eva Noblezada, Princess Punzalan, and Lea Salonga, adds yet another recognition to its credit after having won Best Feature at the 2019 Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival in Canada.
Yellow Rose was the closing night gala film of the Toronto Reel Asian event.
The award for the Filipino-American immigrants-themed film was received by Princess Punzalan, who played Rose’s mother Priscilla, during the 23rd edition of the festival held from November 7 – 15, 2019, in Canada.
The film is hailed as “a masterful directorial debut” by director Diane Paragas and is a casting coup which brings together three award-winning Filipina actresses in a landmark film.
Yellow Rose marks the return of veteran actress Princess Punzalan’s return to film, is the debut film of Eva Noblezada – the star of musical theatre hits Miss Saigon and Hadestown, and features Broadway superstar Lea Salonga. Noblezada essayed the role of Kim on Miss Saigon, a role originated by Salonga.
Yellow Rose is a musical drama film that tells of an undocumented 17-year-old Filipina who goes after the American dream of country music stardom amid the setting of a jailed mother and the threat of deportation. Hollywood Reporter calls it “a humanistic portrait of hope and perseverance”.
“It’s no co-incidence that the film finally got financed in this era when anti-immigrant tensions are at an all time high. At the same time, there is a hunger for Asian-American stories like never before,” said Paragas in her director’s statement.
Prior to the Toronto Festival, Yellow Rose received two festival awards – the People’s Choice Award for Best Overall Feature at the 23rd Annual Vancouver Asian Film Festival and the Best Narrative Feature at the 2019 Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival.
Yellow Rose was also been honored with Best Narrative Feature Grand Jury and the Audience Award at the Urbanworld Film Festival in New York.
Yellow Rose was the Closing Night Gala Film at the 2019 Hawaii International Film Festival where it received a nomination for the Kau Ka Hōkū Filmmaker Award, along with Filipino film Mira-Anud.
Yellow Rose was recently acquired by Sony Pictures for worldwide theatrical release, the first Filipino-American film to be released by a major Hollywood studio.
SEND congratulations in the comments below to the team of Yellow Rose for continuing to showcase Filipino talent and representation in Hollywood film!
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