2006 | 1h 40m | United States
Directed/Cinematography/Edited by: Richard Wong
Starring/Screenplay/Music-Lyrics by: H. P. Mendoza
Starring: H. P. Mendoza, L.A. Reinigen, Jake Moreno
Date: Friday, December 1, 2023 | 7:00 PM
Venue: NYU King Juan Carlos Center | 53 Washington Sq S, NYC 10012
Free and open to the public.
RSVP Link: http://bit.ly/panawin2023f
Synopsis
In this coming-of-age musical, a trio of best friends, recently graduated from high school, peer unsteadily into the complications of adulthood and self-realization, reluctant to let go of the rituals of having fun and doing nothing. They become increasingly aware of the limitations of life in their anonymous suburban town of Colma and yearn for wider horizons.
Notes on the Film and Filmmakers
Colma: The Musical began as a concept album by Filipino American H. P. Mendoza, which he produced as a birthday gift to a childhood friend. Mendoza’s film school classmate, Chinese American Richard Wong, persuaded him to turn the album into a screenplay for a musical. Mendoza, who was then living in Philadelphia, produced a draft in seven days, basing it on his experiences growing up in the small town of Colma, near San Francisco.
The musical somehow reflects the actual experiences of many Filipino American artists, especially second and later generations, who strive to realize their goals by working synergistically with artists of other diasporas and beyond. Mendoza wrote the screenplay and composed the music and lyrics of the film. He also played one of the three starring roles, along with Fil-Am L. A. Reinigen and Latino American Jake Moreno.
Wong directed the film, which was shot in San Francisco and Mendoza’s real hometown of Colma. He self-funded the production budget of $15,000, mind-boggling, especially given the accomplishment. Like Mendoza and in true indie fashion, he wore additional hats, serving as cinematographer and editor. Mendoza and Wong would work together again in the films Option 3 and Yes, We’re Open. They have likewise carved their own separate film and TV careers. Wong’s most recent work is the 2022 Hulu hit The Valet. Mendoza directed the Filipino American satire Bitter Melon (again starring Reinigen), and most recently the non-diasporic Secret Art of Human Flight (also featuring Reinigen), nominated as Best US Narrative Feature at the Tribeca Film Festival, winning Best Narrative Feature at the Coronado Island Film Festival and as it continues its tour of the festival circuit.
Colma has achieved status as a classic of Asian American cinema. In 2019, the Los Angeles Times named it one of the 20 best Asian American films of the last 20 years. In 2022, the Criterion Channel presented Colma among the 20 films in its Asian American Filmmaking series.
While the themes tackled by Mendoza’s screenplay and songs are more universal than specifically Filipino American, the musicality and grit of Mendoza’s immigrant parents shine through in this phenomenal feat of microbudget film and musical artistry.
— Gil Quito, Curator
Awards and Accolades
- Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival – Special Jury Prize
- San Diego Asian Film Festival – Special Jury Mention
- San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival – Special Jury Award
- Film Independent Spirit Awards – Someone to Watch Award nominee
