Filipino theater fans, here’s something you can look forward to. “Yellow Rose” will soon be available for streaming via KTX.ph, iWantTFC, Cignal Pay-Per-View and Sky Cable Pay-Per-View.
The film focuses on the story of an undocumented Filipina immigrant named Rose, who dreams of becoming a country music singer in Texas while facing the constant threat of deportation. The film has won a total of 13 jury awards and premiered at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival in May 2019.
It is directed by Diane Paragas and stars Tony Award-nominated actress Eva Noblezada, Tony and Olivier Award winner Lea Salonga and screen veteran Princess Punzalan.
At the film’s Philippine press conference, the cast and crew shed more light on the film’s long-awaited Filipino premiere.
According to Paragas, while the film isn’t entirely a true story, it was loosely based on experience. As a documentarist, she interviewed Filipino families who moved to America on their experiences with immigration and other social issues.
Paragas added that the movie’s title comes from the popular Texan song, “The Yellow Rose of Texas.” But in the movie, “yellow rose” is a derogatory term used to otherize the main character (whose name is Rose) and her experience as an immigrant.
Tumultuous times serve as the background for the movie, a mirror image to what we face today. A key theme in this movie is the exploration of who people are beyond the tag “immigrant” or “undocumented.”
For Noblezada, the opportunity for her as young Filipina to actually play a young Filipina is what attracted her to the role. After her tenure as Kim on both the West End and Broadway productions of “Miss Saigon,” Noblezada noted that Asian roles are often offered to Asians, regardless of which specific type of Asian they are.
“‘Miss Saigon’ is obviously a story about a Vietnamese young girl, which I am not,” she said. After being offered the part of Rose, she immediately jumped at the chance to play a character that was closer to who she is. “Honestly one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my life,” she added.
“Yellow Rose” will be available for pay-per-view and streaming on Jan. 29.