Here’s a heartfelt and funny cinematic dive into the Bay Area’s Filipino community – and it’s a movie musical! Colma: The Musical is a coming of age story following three Filipino-American kids graduating from high school.
The characters burst into 13 original songs written by director H.P. Mendoza – and they’re great songs. As one of the kids, the charismatic L.A. Renigen absolutely soars.
The film was shot on location in Colma, California, the town more known in the Bay Area as the home of San Francisco’s cemeteries. But almost 2,000 living, breathing folks reside there, and they have their stories, too.
H.P. Mendoza is a Bay Area treasure, having written and directed the genre-bending art film I Am a Ghost and the dark indie comedy on domestic violence Bitter Melon.
Colma: The Musical is refreshing on many levels – and it’s a hoot. I recommend the delightful Colma: The Musical for anyone, especially Bay Area residents; you can stream it from Vudu, YouTube and Google Play.