The Debut
DVD cover for the film
Directed byGene Cajayon
Written byGene Cajayon
John Manal Castro
Produced byLisa Onodera
StarringDante Basco
Tirso Cruz III
Eddie Garcia
Gina Alajar
Darion Basco
Dion Basco
Derek Basco
Bernadette Balagtas
Joy Bisco
Music byWendell Yuponce
Production
company
5 Card Productions
Distributed byCelestial Pictures LLC (2001) (USA) (theatrical), Columbia TriStar Home Video (USA) (video), Columbia TriStar (2003) (Brazil) (DVD), Columbia TriStar
Release dates
Running time
88 minutes
LanguagesEnglish, Filipino
Budget$1 million

The Debut is a 2000 American independent drama film directed and co-written by first-time Filipino American filmmaker Gene Cajayon. It is the first Filipino American film to be released theatrically nationwide, starting in March 2001 in the San Francisco Bay Area[1] and ending in November 2002 in New York City. It is also one of the first feature films to take place within the Filipino American community, one of the largest Asian ethnic minorities in America.[2] The title of the film refers to the traditional coming-of-age ceremony accompanying a young woman’s 18th birthday in Filipino culture.

The film grossed $1.745 million in limited theatrical release in the United States.[3][4]

Synopsis

Ben Mercado is a talented high school senior who enrolls in a prestigious arts institute in order to realize his dreams of becoming an artist. However, his plans come into conflict with those of his strict immigrant father Roland, a postal worker intent on seeing Ben become a doctor. Their long-simmering feud—for Ben, a struggle to be accepted by America and therefore reject his Filipino heritage; and for Roland, a quest to give his children a better life than he had—threatens to boil over and ruin the elaborate eighteenth birthday party of Ben’s sister Rose.

For Ben, Rose’s celebration emerges as a cultural stew of old world traditions and contemporary urban lifestyles, challenging his sense of misplaced identity, his choice of friends, and even the way he regards his father. He also finds an unexpected confidante in Rose’s best friend Annabelle. However, the evening’s challenges to Ben are just beginning to surface. The arrival of Carlos, the Mercado family’s overbearing patriarch, exacerbates tensions between father and son, while the temptation to ditch his relatives to be with his white friends at a kegger across town tugs at Ben throughout the evening. A possible budding romance with Annabelle is also complicated by the presence of hot-headed Augusto, a former childhood friend-turned gangsta wannabe and Annabelle’s ex-boyfriend. In one night, Ben will face the true nature of his relationships with his family, his friends, and himself.

Cast

Production

Development

The Debut is based on a ten-minute short film Cajayon had made as his thesis project at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California, United States.[5] He incorporated themes from co-writer John Manal Castro's short film, Diary of a Gangsta Sucka.[6]

After shooting the first ten minutes of his thesis project, Cajayon sent the movie script to potential private financial backers but was turned down.[5] Cajayon and Castro shopped the film to major Hollywood studios, but were rebuffed.

At one point, producer Dean Devlin, who is half Filipino, became associated with the project,[5] but the film was still unable to secure funding.[1] Eventually the film was able to garner a grant from the NAATA (National Asian American Telecommunications Association).[1] Cajayon tapped Picture Bride producer Lisa Onodera, Greg Spence, and Celestial Pictures to produce the film.

Casting

Adult roles in the movie were cast in the Philippines, where casting director Ernest Eschaler held casting sessions in Manila. The filmmakers were able to cast Tirso Cruz III, Gina Alajar, Eddie Garcia, and comedian Fe de los Reyes.[1]

Back in the US, the filmmakers put out a casting call for the lead character, eventually selecting Dante Basco, who played Rufio in the 1991 Steven Spielberg film Hook. Actress Joy Bisco was cast as the female lead. In addition to Dante Basco in the lead role, the film also features other members of the Basco family (Derek, Darion, Dion, and Arianna).[1]

Filming

Production started on October 21, 1997 at the Cantwell-Sacred Heart of Mary High School in Montebello, California. Reshoots were done a year after production finished.[7] The musical score and licensing of songs for the soundtrack was done in 1999. The full-length film took eight years to produce and raise funding for (from 1992 to 2000),[8] another year to be released in theaters, and two years to go on DVD in 2003 and television.[3]

Release

Film festivals

The film had its world premiere as the Opening Night Attraction of the 15th Annual Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film & Video Festival on May 18, 2000.[9] It played the film festival circuit around the United States, including the Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF) in November 2000.[10] American film critic Roger Ebert, who was in attendance, was given a private screening of the film and gave the film a "thumbs up."[11] The Debut won the 2000 HIFF Audience Award for Best Feature Film, beating out the heavily favored Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.[11]

The Debut’s success on the film festival circuit inspired the filmmakers to launch a theatrical self-distribution campaign.[10] For two years, The Debut’s promotional team (consisting of Cajayon, co-writer John Castro, associate producer Patricio Ginelsa, and a full-time staff of five) traveled to fifteen major cities across the US and promoted the film directly to Asian Pacific American and mainstream communities.[10] TV commercials were shown on local channels and on local cable systems.

Theatrical

The Debut was given a limited theatrical release on March 16, 2001 and eventually grossed $1.745 million at the box office.[4] It was released in the Philippines by Columbia Pictures on August 13, 2003.[12]

The film's success in theaters led to a domestic and international distribution deal with Sony Pictures.[3] The film has been made available for home viewing on iTunes, Amazon Video, and VUDU.[13]

Reception

The film received positive reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 74% "fresh" rating based on 24 reviews. The site’s consensus stated, “Although The Debut offers few surprises, it remains an engaging and well-acted look at the multi-generational immigrant experience.”[14]

Film critics like Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun Times and Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times applauded the movie.[15][16][5]

Accolades

The Debut won a 2001 Ammy Award for Best Independent Feature Film.[17] It also won the Best Narrative Feature award at the San Diego Asian Film Festival.[18]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Graham, Bob (March 4, 2001). "Filipino Americans Find a Forum / Two directors bring differing visions of their culture to film festival". SF Gate. Retrieved December 26, 2021.
  2. ↑ Budiman, Abby; Ruiz, Neil G. (April 29, 2021). "Key facts about Asian Americans, a diverse and growing population". Pew Research Center. Retrieved December 26, 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 Nichols, Peter M. (September 12, 2003). "HOME VIDEO; Idea to DVD: A Long Road". The New York Times.
  4. 1 2 "The Debut". Box Office Mojo.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Holmes II, Emory (October 7, 2001). "Made by an Entire Community". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 26, 2021. Retrieved December 26, 2021.
  6. ↑ Pulido, Rod (October 2, 2021). "Pinoy Cinema is On the Rise". RodPulido.com. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Timeline | The Debut official site". PinoyNet.com. Archived from the original on April 1, 2001. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  8. ↑ Graham, Bob (April 24, 2001). "PROFILE / Gene Cajayon / Filipino American film 'Debut' getting noticed". SF Gate. Retrieved December 26, 2021.
  9. ↑ Feng, Peter X. (2002). Screening Asian Americans. Rutgers University Press. p. 131. ISBN 978-0813530253. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  10. 1 2 3 Johnson, G. Allen (December 3, 2001). "BIZ: "The Debut": A Self-Distribution Success Story". IndieWire. Retrieved December 26, 2021.
  11. 1 2 Lopes, Shawn (June 7, 2002). "'The Debut' has universal appeal". Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
  12. ↑ "Opens Today!". Philippine Daily Inquirer. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. August 13, 2003. p. A28. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  13. ↑ "The Debut". Amazon.com. 9 September 2003. Retrieved December 26, 2021.
  14. ↑ "The Debut". Rotten Tomatoes.
  15. ↑ Ebert, Roger (March 22, 2002). "The Debut". Rogerebert.com. Retrieved December 26, 2021.
  16. ↑ Thomas, Kevin (October 5, 2001). "A 'Debut' of Humor and Tension". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 26, 2021.
  17. ↑ Arcayna, Nancy (September 10, 2003). "Filmmakers find DVD debut to be a surreal experience". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Retrieved December 26, 2021.
  18. ↑ "San Diego Asian Film Festival Award Winners | 2000". Pacific Arts Movement. Archived from the original on February 5, 2015. Retrieved December 26, 2021.
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