LINGUA Franca
According to the Asian Journal, the 2021 Independent Spirit Awards nominates LINGUA Franca for the John Cassavetes Award. These prestigious awards are given to independent filmmakers.
Isabel Sandoval starred, directed and wrote the film which explores the Filipino immigrant story. The story follows an "undocumented trans Filipina caretaker living in New York City who struggles financially to support her mom back home. She also pays for an American man to marry her for a green card".
The film made history as the first film directed and starred by an openly trans woman of color when it premiered at the 2019 Venice International Film Festival. You can find it currently on Netflix and catch the 36th annual Spirit Awards air live on April 22 at 10:00 pm ET/7:00 p.m. PT exclusively on IFC and AMC+.
Yellow Rose
Gold House, a premier nonprofit collective recognizes Yellow Rose in its 2021 Gold List. Yellow Rose earns two honorable mentions under the Best Picture and Best Actress categories. The lead actress, Eva Noblezada was among other talented actress considered for Best Actress but ultimately went to Yeri Han (Minari) and Leah Lewis (The Half Of It).
The Gold List honors the most outstanding Asian and Pacific Islander (API) achievements in the film industry. The collective dedicated to enabling more authentic multicultural representation and societal equity.
Variety also mentions the song, Square Peg from the film as a contender for the Oscars Best Original Song. Although it's part of the unranked contenders, it is being talked about in the same ranks as other mainstream songs in film.
The film follows a Filipina teen who must decide whether to stay with her family or leave her small Texas town to become a country music singer. Yellow Rose is now available to rent or buy on Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Vudu, Fandango, Google Play and Play Station. Get the Official Yellow Rose Soundtrack Available here.
Cover Photo Credit: Lingua Franca Film Facebook
