The Debut

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.

• Gene CajayonWriter
• Gene CajayonDirector
• John Manal CastroWriter
• Wendall J. YuponceOriginal Music Composer

• Dante BascoBen Mercado
• Jayson SchaalDoug
• Brian CardDave
• Mindy SpenceJennifer
• Nicole HawkyardSusie
• Brandon MartinezRick
• Ernie ZarateTito Lenny
• Gina AlajarGina Mercado
• Bernadette BalagtasRose Mercado
• Derek BascoEdwin Mercado
• Joy BiscoAnnabelle Manalo
• Rawlins ApiladoJun