A charming if somewhat amateurish indie musical that tells the coming-of-age stories of three teenagers recently graduated from high school living in Colma, CA. Billy, Rodel and Maribel are facing the challenges of young adulthood, and chasing their dreams. Billy aspires to be a performer, and auditions for the regional musical where he meets a college student named Tara, who is also an aspiring actor. Rodel is being raised by a single parent and is struggling with how to tell his father that he is gay. Maribel just can’t figure out what to do with her life. When Billy’s ambitions threaten to tear the three friends apart, all three must re-assess and find away to move on.
With its micro-budget and low production values, COLMA: THE MUSICAL is a tiny movie, but it has a really big heart. The musical numbers are strong. COLMA is the debut film by Filipino-American H.P. Mendoza, who stars, co-wrote the screenplay, and wrote all the music and lyrics. Director Richard Wong also co-wrote the film. There aren’t a lot of films out there telling the Asian-American experience, and it’s nice to see one that is so fresh and accessible. The film is far from perfect, but it’s a lot of fun and worth a screening.