Colma The Musical
Encyclopedia
Colma: The Musical is a 2007 American musical
independent film
directed by Richard Wong and written by H.P. Mendoza
. Wong's feature directorial debut, shot on location in the city of Colma, California
and parts of San Francisco, is a coming of age
story based on the lives of and the relationships between three teenagers living in Colma and how they deal with newfound problems that challenge their friendship. Along the way, they also learn what to hold onto and how to best follow their dreams.
The film features 13 songs all written and produced by H.P. Mendoza. Colma: The Musical was released through Roadside Attractions in partnership with Lions Gate Entertainment
.
The film premiered March 21, 2006 at the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival
. After a year of touring the film festival circuit and winning three Special Jury Prizes, Colma: The Musical was theatrically released on June 22, 2007.
), and Maribel (L.A. Renigen), and their exploits only weeks after graduating from high school. After Billy decides to audition for the regional musical, he meets a college student, Tara (Sigrid Sutter), who is also an aspiring actor. Billy's ambition expectedly puts a strain on his relationships with his best friends, Rodel and Maribel. Rodel, meanwhile, struggles with coming out of the closet
to his single father (Larry Soriano), while Maribel struggles to figure out what to do next in life.
theatrically on June 22, 2007. The DVD was released on November 20, 2007 by Lionsgate Home Entertainment
with deleted scene
s and an audio commentary
by director Richard Wong and writer H.P. Mendoza
.
Colma: The Musical premiered at the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival
and won its Special Jury Prize for Best Narrative Feature. The premiere was held at the AMC Kabuki 8 in its 700 seat house which was packed with people who knew nothing about the filmmakers, but possibly appeared based on the title of the film alone. The film was praised by young Asian Americans who identified with the lost, if a little wayward, teenagers.
Manohla Dargis of The New York Times
called it "an itty-bitty movie with a great big heart" while Ruthe Stein of the San Francisco Chronicle
said that the film "deserves to be seen for its sheer originality and audacity".
Negative reviews came from the Village Voice with Julia Wallace saying "it's unfortunate that Colma pays so little attention to Colma; it may as well be set anywhere." while Kyle Smith
of the New York Post
says "The songs sound like they were recorded on a toy synthesizer in someone's basement, and neither of the two male leads can sing."
After years of life on DVD and online instant viewing via Netflix
, Colma: The Musical has been considered a cult favorite by many and has been paid tribute by various YouTube clips and high school musical renditions of the film. Ruthe Stein of the San Francisco Chronicle
likens the film to American Graffiti
and Diner
, while Jurgen Fauth of About.com compared the film to Mallrats
, Ghost World
, and Once
.
Musical film
The musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, though in some cases they serve merely as breaks in the storyline, often as elaborate...
independent film
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
directed by Richard Wong and written by H.P. Mendoza
H.P. Mendoza
H. P. Mendoza is a Filipino American writer-director, and singer-songwriter based in San Francisco best known as the screenwriter and composer for the film Colma: The Musical, directed by Richard Wong. In 2006, he was listed as one of the Top 15 Creative Talents of 2006 by UCLA Asia Pacific Arts...
. Wong's feature directorial debut, shot on location in the city of Colma, California
Colma, California
Colma is a small incorporated town in San Mateo County, California, at the northern end of the San Francisco Peninsula in the San Francisco Bay Area. The population was 1,792 at the 2010 census. The town was founded as a necropolis in 1924....
and parts of San Francisco, is a coming of age
Coming of age
Coming of age is a young person's transition from childhood to adulthood. The age at which this transition takes place varies in society, as does the nature of the transition. It can be a simple legal convention or can be part of a ritual, as practiced by many societies...
story based on the lives of and the relationships between three teenagers living in Colma and how they deal with newfound problems that challenge their friendship. Along the way, they also learn what to hold onto and how to best follow their dreams.
The film features 13 songs all written and produced by H.P. Mendoza. Colma: The Musical was released through Roadside Attractions in partnership with Lions Gate Entertainment
Lions Gate Entertainment
Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation is a North American entertainment company. The company was formed in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1997, and is headquartered in Santa Monica, California...
.
The film premiered March 21, 2006 at the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival
San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival
The San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival presented every March is the nation’s largest showcase for new Asian American and Asian films, annually presenting approximately 130 works in San Francisco, Berkeley and San Jose, USA...
. After a year of touring the film festival circuit and winning three Special Jury Prizes, Colma: The Musical was theatrically released on June 22, 2007.
Plot
The film follows three teenagers, Billy (Jake Moreno), Rodel (H.P. MendozaH.P. Mendoza
H. P. Mendoza is a Filipino American writer-director, and singer-songwriter based in San Francisco best known as the screenwriter and composer for the film Colma: The Musical, directed by Richard Wong. In 2006, he was listed as one of the Top 15 Creative Talents of 2006 by UCLA Asia Pacific Arts...
), and Maribel (L.A. Renigen), and their exploits only weeks after graduating from high school. After Billy decides to audition for the regional musical, he meets a college student, Tara (Sigrid Sutter), who is also an aspiring actor. Billy's ambition expectedly puts a strain on his relationships with his best friends, Rodel and Maribel. Rodel, meanwhile, struggles with coming out of the closet
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
to his single father (Larry Soriano), while Maribel struggles to figure out what to do next in life.
Cast
- Jake Moreno as Billy
- H.P. MendozaH.P. MendozaH. P. Mendoza is a Filipino American writer-director, and singer-songwriter based in San Francisco best known as the screenwriter and composer for the film Colma: The Musical, directed by Richard Wong. In 2006, he was listed as one of the Top 15 Creative Talents of 2006 by UCLA Asia Pacific Arts...
as Rodel - L.A. Renigen as Maribel
- Sigrid Sutter as Tara
- Larry Soriano as Rodel's father
- Brian Raffi as Julio
- Gigi Guizado as Kattia
- Paul Kolsanoff as Kevin
- Allison Torneros as Amanda
- Kat Kneisel as Joanna
- David Scott Keller as Michael
Release
The film was distributed by Roadside AttractionsRoadside Attractions
Roadside Attractions is a US film distributor based in Los Angeles, California, founded in 2003, specializing largely in independent films.Lionsgate bought a partial stake in Roadside in 2007.-List of films released by Roadside Attractions:...
theatrically on June 22, 2007. The DVD was released on November 20, 2007 by Lionsgate Home Entertainment
Lionsgate Home Entertainment
Lionsgate Home Entertainment is the home video and DVD distribution arm of Lions Gate Entertainment and most former Artisan Entertainment releases. Its library of more than 8000 films owes some of its size to output deals with other studios...
with deleted scene
Deleted scene
In Entertainment, especially the film and television industry, Deleted scenes are parts of a film removed or censored from or replaced by another scene in the final "cut", or version, of a film...
s and an audio commentary
Audio commentary
On disc-based video formats, an audio commentary is an additional audio track consisting of a lecture or comments by one or more speakers, that plays in real time with video...
by director Richard Wong and writer H.P. Mendoza
H.P. Mendoza
H. P. Mendoza is a Filipino American writer-director, and singer-songwriter based in San Francisco best known as the screenwriter and composer for the film Colma: The Musical, directed by Richard Wong. In 2006, he was listed as one of the Top 15 Creative Talents of 2006 by UCLA Asia Pacific Arts...
.
Reception
The film received mostly favorable reviews and the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes shows Colma: The Musical with a 90% "fresh" among all reviews.Colma: The Musical premiered at the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival
San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival
The San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival presented every March is the nation’s largest showcase for new Asian American and Asian films, annually presenting approximately 130 works in San Francisco, Berkeley and San Jose, USA...
and won its Special Jury Prize for Best Narrative Feature. The premiere was held at the AMC Kabuki 8 in its 700 seat house which was packed with people who knew nothing about the filmmakers, but possibly appeared based on the title of the film alone. The film was praised by young Asian Americans who identified with the lost, if a little wayward, teenagers.
Manohla Dargis of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
called it "an itty-bitty movie with a great big heart" while Ruthe Stein of the San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
said that the film "deserves to be seen for its sheer originality and audacity".
Negative reviews came from the Village Voice with Julia Wallace saying "it's unfortunate that Colma pays so little attention to Colma; it may as well be set anywhere." while Kyle Smith
Kyle Smith
Kyle Smith is an American critic, novelist and essayist. He is a staff film critic for the New York Post. His film reviewing style has been called "an exercise in hilarious hostility" by Entertainment Weekly....
of the New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
says "The songs sound like they were recorded on a toy synthesizer in someone's basement, and neither of the two male leads can sing."
After years of life on DVD and online instant viewing via Netflix
Netflix
Netflix, Inc., is an American provider of on-demand internet streaming media in the United States, Canada, and Latin America and flat rate DVD-by-mail in the United States. The company was established in 1997 and is headquartered in Los Gatos, California...
, Colma: The Musical has been considered a cult favorite by many and has been paid tribute by various YouTube clips and high school musical renditions of the film. Ruthe Stein of the San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
likens the film to American Graffiti
American Graffiti
American Graffiti is a 1973 coming of age film co-written/directed by George Lucas starring Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Paul Le Mat, Charles Martin Smith, Cindy Williams, Candy Clark, Mackenzie Phillips and Harrison Ford...
and Diner
Diner (film)
Diner is a 1982 comedy-drama film written and directed by Barry Levinson. Levinson's screen directing debut, Diner is the first in his "Baltimore films", which also include the subsequent Tin Men, Avalon and Liberty Heights.-Plot:...
, while Jurgen Fauth of About.com compared the film to Mallrats
Mallrats
Mallrats is a 1995 film written and directed by Kevin Smith. It is the second to be set in Smith's View Askewniverse series of interlocking films set mostly in New Jersey, although the movie was filmed in Eden Prairie Center and Osowski's Flea Market which are located in Minnesota...
, Ghost World
Ghost World
Ghost World is a comic book written and illustrated by Daniel Clowes. It was originally serialized in issues #11 through #18 of Clowes's comic book series Eightball, and was first published in book form in 1997 by Fantagraphics Books...
, and Once
Once (film)
Once is a 2006 Irish musical film written and directed by John Carney. Set in Dublin, this naturalistic drama stars musicians Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová as musicians...
.
Awards and nominations
- Special Jury Prize - San Francisco International Asian American Film FestivalSan Francisco International Asian American Film FestivalThe San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival presented every March is the nation’s largest showcase for new Asian American and Asian films, annually presenting approximately 130 works in San Francisco, Berkeley and San Jose, USA...
- Special Jury Prize - Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film FestivalLos Angeles Asian Pacific Film FestivalThe Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival – formerly known as VC FilmFest – is an annual film festival presented by Visual Communications . It was established in 1983 as a vehicle to promote Asian Pacific American and Asian international cinema. The festival fulfills a unique mission in...
- Special Jury Prize - San Diego Asian Film FestivalSan Diego Asian Film FestivalThe San Diego Asian Film Festival is an annual event organized by the San Diego Asian Film Foundation. The festival was first held in 2000 at the University of San Diego by the Asian American Journalists Association of San Diego.-Organization Overview:...
- Gotham Award - Best Film Not in Theaters (Nomination)
- Independent Spirit Award - Someone to Watch; Richard Wong (Nomination)