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.

[3][4] 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.

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.

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.

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.

[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.

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.

"[11] The Debut won the 2000 HIFF Audience Award for Best Feature Film, beating out the heavily favored Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.