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The Debut
DIRECTOR: Gene Cajayon
USA 1:30:00 35mm Color English/Tagalog 
 Producer: Gene Cajayon, John Castro
Director Gene Cajayon updates the classic coming-of-age family melodrama on behalf of a community long ignored by both American and even Asian American media, crafting a universally appealing yet culturally specific tale outlined and defined by its acute portrayal of Filipino identity and Filipino American life. THE DEBUT follows one Filipino American teenager, Ben Mercado, who is faced with pleasing his buttoned-down father and accepting a scholarship to medical school, or following his own instincts and applying to art school. His uncertainties, and the uncertainties he feels when faced with other issues like assimilation, fitting in, and cultural identity, comes to a fore on the eve of his sister Rose's eighteenth birthday party and debut ball. There he must quickly make a decision that will affect not only how he lives his life, but for whom, and at what price. While using Ben’s dilemma as emblematic of one Filipino experience, THE DEBUT makes sure to take a refreshing pride in showcasing all things Filipino American, from second-generation Tagalog-deficient Pinoys to recent immigrants, from infants to grandparents, and from musical traditions ranging from Tinikling stick dancing to postwar jazz combos to 21st century scratch DJ's. This range is most reflected in the film's stunning sampling of acting talent. Rising star Dante Basco (FAKIN' DA FUNK, SFIAFF 1998), is Filipino American, while his father is portrayed by 1970's Filipino heartthrob Tirso Cruz III. The revered Eddie Garcia ("the grandfather of Filipino cinema") dominates as, fittingly, Ben's grandfather, while along the musical spectrum Filipina R&B group Premiere and several Filipino DJ's appear as themselves. While paradoxically ending this year's festival, THE DEBUT has enough energy and awareness to certainly herald a new life for Filipino American cinema. Jason Sanders Check out "The Debut's" offical web site at
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