Diane Paragas and her film, Yellow Rose, will make history at this year’s 35th Annual Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, making her the first Filipina American Filmmaker to open the festival.
Directed and written by Diane Paragas, the American movie musical follows the story of Rose, played by Tony award nominee Eva Noblezada, a 17 year old girl who tries to fulfill her dream of becoming a country music star all while facing the threat of deportation. Joining Noblezada is Broadway star and Tony Award winner, Lea Salonga who plays Rose’s aunt. Rounding out the cast is Dale Watson, Liam Booth, Gustavo Gomez, Libby Villari and Princess Punzalan.
“I am so humbled that our film has been chosen for this honor.” Paragas told Deadline.com
Paragas also stated that Yellow Rose has taken over 15 years to make and “it couldn’t come at a more important time when anti-immigrant sentiment is at an all-time high. This is a story for everyone facing challenges in finding their voice, their dreams and, more importantly, their home.”
Francis Cullado, the Executive Director of Visual Communications expressed their excitement in showcasing Diane Paragas as the first ever Filipina American Opning Night presentation, saying
“We feel that Yellow Rose’s themes stemming from our collective experiences of what defines American can create cultural cross-connections throughout our diverse communities.”
The Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival will run from May 2nd to May 10th. For more information, you can head to https://vcmedia.org/festival
