The Debut 24 years old
One night can change a lifetime.
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.
Credits
The Debut Cast
| Name | Character |
|---|---|
| Derek Basco He was 29, now 54 years old | as Edwin Mercado |
| Dante Basco He was 24, now 49 years old | as Ben Mercado |
| Ernie Zarate | as Tito Lenny |
| Mindy Spence | as Jennifer |
| Jayson Schaal | as Doug |
| Nicole Hawkyard | as Susie |
| Brandon Martinez | as Rick |
| Rawlins Apilado | as Jun |
| Bernadette Balagtas | as Rose Mercado |
| Joy Bisco She was 24, now 49 years old | as Annabelle Manalo |
| Brian Card | as Dave |
| Gina Alajar She was 40, now 65 years old | as Gina Mercado |
The Debut Crew
| Name | Department |
|---|---|
| Gene Cajayon as Writer. | Writing |
| Gene Cajayon as Director. | Directing |
| John Manal Castro as Writer. | Writing |
The Debut (24 years)
One night can change a lifetime.
- Release day: Thursday, May 18, 2000
- Runtime: 88 minutes
- Budget: 1000000.00