The Debut

Have you ever been embarrassed about your culture? In the movie The Debut, Ben, the main character, struggles to accept his Filipino culture. Since most of Ben's friends are white, he doesn't want them around his family because he is afraid of being made fun of if they knew how Filipino's behaved. Ben also experienced another conflict when his father was not accepting of his passion for art because he wanted Ben to become a doctor. His father forces Ben into a career path that he wants nothing to do with. During the middle of the film Ben's parents throw his sister a party at a hall with friends and family. The party reminded me of a “Quinceanera,” a Mexican traditional party when a young lady turns 15 years old. Ben's friends arrive to the party to pick him up but end up staying for a while. Ben and his friends watch the sister's dance and seem amazed by the performance and traditions that they have during the party. While the dance is taking place the audience can see that Ben is also amazed by the dance and had no idea it was a traditional dance. Later, Ben and his friends end up leaving the birthday party to go to another party. While at the party Ben and his friends are playing a game with two girls and one girl offends him by asking if he eats dogs.  Ben remains quiet with a frustrated look on his face. I think Ben had gotten mad because he didn't want anything to do with his culture due to some negative remarks that people say. He had believed he was like his friends and not seen as a Filipino.  After being hurt by the remarks, Ben and his friends leave to go back to his sister's party. After returning, Ben's whole perspective on his culture and father changes. Ben ends up fighting with his cousin he was to be close to. During the fight his cousin confronts him about been afraid of his race and hanging out with white people only. After the fight Ben overhears an argument going on between his dad and grandfather. His grandfather is telling his father that singing wasn't a career and it doesn't put food on the table. That's why Ben's father doesn't believe drawing is a career choice and is pushing him to be a doctor.  Towards the end of the film Ben's friends tell him his culture is cool and want to hang out with his cousins more often.  Ben stands up to his father and tells him about going to a school where he will be studying art and not becoming a doctor. He shows his father his portfolio on his drawings of his family. Ben's father accepts his decision and tells him he will talk to his mother about art school. The Debut is about Ben accepting his culture and not been embarrassed of the traditions that Filipino’s have or a certain way that they act.  Also, it is about Ben perusing a passion that he loved and not allowing his father to take that away from him.