The Sony Pictures film, Yellow Rose was released on October 9, 2020, is now being shown in theaters.
Directed by Diane Paragas, the film centers around a girl named Rose, an undocumented Filipino girl who lives in a small town in Texas with her mom. She had a dream of performing country music professionally but that was all thrown out the window when her mom suddenly got picked up by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Facing reality, Rose decides to flee the scene leaving the life she had. She embarks on a journey of self-discovery as she searches for a new place to call home.
The Filipina actress Eva Noblezeda plays the lead role of Rose in the film.
She used to star in the revival of Miss Saigon in 2014 and 2017 and won a 2015 WhatsOnStage award for her performance. She was also a Tony Nominee for Best Actress in a Musical in 2017. In November 2018, Noblezada opened as the lead role of Eurydice in Hadestown for the Royal National Theatre's production of the musical. She then continued the role of Eurydice when the production transferred to Broadway's Walter Kerr Theatre in April 2019. Yellow Rose is her first feature film debut besides the recording of Miss Saigon and she’s already receiving praise for her work. Besides Eva Noblezeda, the film also stars other famous Filipina actresses like Tony Award-winning singer Lea Salonga, and diverse actress Princess Punzalan.
Now Showing: Yellow Rose
This coming of age film that has similar aspects to A Star is Born is a step forward in Filipino American representation in modern media. It’s already starting to touch a multitude of people and it has a good reason to do so. It’s a twist on a politically correct story while being heartfelt at the same time is overall inspiring and touching. The writing, acting, character development, and especially country music are well put together and their efforts in making this a memorable film shine through. So if you feel comfortable doing so, watch Yellow Rose in a theatre near you.