Rose, an undocumented Filipino girl, dreams of one day leaving her small Texas town to pursue her country music dreams. Her world is shattered when her mom suddenly gets picked up by ICE. Rose, facing this new reality, is forced to flee the scene, leaving behind the only life she knows, and embarks on a journey of self-discovery as she searches for a new home in the honky tonk world of Austin, Texas. Written and Directed by Diane Paragas the film won over a dozen prizes at festivals and was distributed by Sony Pictures becoming the first Filipino American film distributed by a major studio.
Find out more on www.yellowrosefilm.com
Diane Paragas directed an episode for the 2nd season of the groundbreaking Peabody winning and Bafta nominated limited series from Apple TV. The show was led by Oscar winner Sian Heder and Emmy Nominee Lee Eisenberg. “Columbus Starlings” episode follows the true story of a Japanese immigrant who fulfills her life long dream of playing baseball in America.
“The Three Lives of David Wong” is a ground-breaking documentary short following the harrowing journey of an undocumented, Chinese-American man facing a life sentence for a crime he did not commit. David finds hope in a rag-tag Asian-American activist group who eventually became the friends and family he longed for. Told through a bold mixture of shadow puppetry, handmade marionettes, computer animation and live action verité, we follow David through his early years in China, through his conviction, life in prison, trial and eventual exoneration and deportation. The film, which unfolds over 30 years, is an inspiring story of triumph and perserverance against the most impossible odds.
The film, directed by Diane Paragas and produced by Leslie Norville, has received support from the Sundance Creative Producing Lab, The Bertha Foundation, CAAM and John T and Katherine D MacArthur Foundation. The film is a recipient of the 2020 Creative Capital Grant.
Diane Paragas co-directed shot and edited this feature documentary that explores the fertile ground of Fort Greene, Brooklyn that gave rise to an African-American arts movement in the late 20th century as vibrant as the Harlem Renaissance. An insider in the scene himself, as a distinguished writer (Hip Hop America) and filmmaker (Good Hair), George teams with Paragas to interview Spike Lee, Chris Rock, Branford Marsalis, Rosie Perez, Saul Williams, Lorna Simpson and more for a lively celebration of Brooklyn pride. The film premiered at DOC NYC and was picked up by Showtime. The film won the prestigious Black Reel Award for outstanding TV Documentary.
