Film

The Debut

2000 · 1h 28m · Drama

One night can change a lifetime.

IMDb

6.5

Rotten Tomatoes

71%

Metacritic

60

Filipino-American high school student Ben (Dante Basco) works in a comic book shop to earn money to pay his way into Cal Arts. His father, a postman, is determined that his son--who has won a pre-med scholarship to UCLA--will become a doctor. The eighteenth birthday party of Ben's sister, Rose, sets off a comedic and touching series of events and family struggles that will in turn determine young Ben's future. This fresh independent production from Gene Cajayon presents a lighthearted and warm coming-of-age tale filtered through the eyes of an American subculture rarely seen on film.

Dante Basco

Ben Mercado

Jayson Schaal

Doug

Brian Card

Dave

Mindy Spence

Jennifer

Nicole Hawkyard

Susie

Brandon Martinez

Rick

Ernie Zarate

Tito Lenny

Gina Alajar

Gina Mercado

Bernadette Balagtas

Rose Mercado

Derek Basco

Edwin Mercado

Joy Bisco

Annabelle Manalo

Rawlins Apilado

Jun

Tirso Cruz III

Roland Mercado

Darion Basco

Augusto

Dionysio Basco

Rommel

Eddie Garcia

Lolo Carlos

• Gene CajayonDirector · Writer
• John Manal CastroWriter
• Hisham AbedDirector of Photography
• Wendall J. YuponceOriginal Music Composer
• Kenn KashimaEditor

The Debut Trailer

Release date

May 18, 2000

Status

Released

Original language

English

Runtime

1h 28m

Rated

R

Budget

$1,000,000

Genres

Drama

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