Eraserheads: Combo On The Run gets worldwide distribution

The acclaimed documentary on the Philippines’ most iconic rock band heads for a 2026 theatrical release in North America, Middle East, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, and Latin America

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Photos by Lawrence Del Rosario

Evan Saxon Productions and The Filipino Channel (TFC) have officially secured the international distribution rights for Eraserheads: Combo On The Run, the critically acclaimed documentary chronicling one of the most important Filipino bands of all time.

Evan Saxon Productions is led by Evan Saxon, a veteran entertainment executive who has successfully navigated the best of both film and music worlds. Saxon has spearheaded global marketing and distribution campaigns for some of the most prominent music film events in recent memory, including Pearl Jam’s groundbreaking visualization experience for their 2024 album, Dark Matter, which premiered in more than 900 cinemas across 45 countries, and Coldplay’s global premiere party for their tenth studio album, Moon Music, which screened in over 800 cinemas across 40 countries. He has also worked on music films or documentaries from The Beatles, Dolly Parton, Syd Barret and Pink Floyd, Green Day, Melanie Martinez, Jimi Hendrix, Raye, Rush, Iron Maiden and many more.

“When I met Evan Saxon Productions, I found a partner that truly understands how to bring music stories with emotional depth to the world,” said filmmaker and producer Maria Diane Ventura. “Their work with Coldplay, Pearl Jam, and Jimi Hendrix gave me confidence that they can carry this film’s spirit across borders. What excites me about this collaboration is the chance to make every screening feel alive. Evan Saxon Productions has turned music films into cinematic events that connect artists and audiences in a powerful way. That’s exactly the kind of experience I want for this film, something that feels shared, emotional, and lasting.”

With the company’s expertise in global music film distribution, Ventura is optimistic that the film will resonate with audiences far beyond the Filipino diaspora, appealing to music lovers and cinephiles worldwide. Under this partnership, the documentary is slated for an initial international release in 2026 that will cover North America, UK, Spain, and Latin America with theatrical runs in key cities across these regions. 

The Filipino Channel (TFC) has also acquired the distribution rights to the film for the Middle East, Australia, and New Zealand, with a planned release across cities in the Arabian region in January 2026. TFC is part of ABS-CBN International, which has distributed several Filipino films in North America under its brand, TFC at the Movies.

“These partnerships allow the film to grow in scale while keeping its heart intact,” Ventura explains. “At its core, Eraserheads: Combo On The Run is a human story about resilience, healing, artistry, and the enduring pull of music to bring people together, themes that echo far beyond one band or country.”

Directed and produced by Maria Diane Ventura, Eraserheads: Combo On The Run has been making waves on the global festival circuit. The film recently won the Best International Feature Documentary Award at the Ierapetra International Feature Documentary and Film Festival in Croatia and made history as the first Filipino film to screen at the San Diego Comic-Con.

The docufilm was part of the official selection for the Spotlight On The Philippines program at the 44th Annual Hawai'i International Film Festival.

Eraserheads: Combo On The Run is presented by DVentPictures, WEU and Mano Y Mano.

About ERASERHEADS: COMBO ON THE RUN

ERASERHEADS: COMBO ON THE RUN is both a definitive portrait of the Philippines’ most iconic alternative rock band and a stirring meditation on time, memory, and healing. Charting the Eraserheads’ journey from their humble beginnings as college students at UP Diliman in 1989, in the creative afterglow of the EDSA People Power Revolution, the film captures their meteoric rise in the 1990s, when their raw lyrics and fearless originality redefined Filipino music and resonated deeply with the country’s youth. Their success, often likened to the Beatles’ impact on Western music, was marked by near-annual multi-platinum album releases, international recognition, and songs that became the soundtrack of a generation.

Through candid band interviews, key collaborators’ reflections, and electrifying archival footage, the documentary revisits their dissolution, the bittersweet sting of their breakup, and the power of nostalgia for fans who grew up after their peak. Yet it also finds renewal in their triumphant 2022 “Huling El Bimbo” reunion concert, where 75,000 fans bore witness to reconciliation and rebirth.

 Source: Nyou 

Multi-arts portal Pelikulove launches the “Shout Out Fest” Online Festival from September 19-25 for free.

Pelikulove, a multi-arts portal which aims to provide arts education and a platform for artistic and socially-relevant content, is launching the first-of-its-kind “Shout Out Fest (Maghayag at Lumikha)” Online Festival from September 19 to 25, 2022.

In cooperation with the National Commission on Culture and the Arts, the “Shout Out Fest” is a seven-day online festival of short films and stage plays ,a culminating activity of the enrollees of the Pelikulove master classes of National Artist for Cinema and Broadcast Arts Ricky Lee, and Palanca Hall of Fame awardee Rody Vera. The works are produced in cooperation with regional theater and film organizations and can be viewed for free at pelikulove.com beginning September 19. 

There are three sets of works to be showcased; each set is composed of three productions. 

Set A features the short films  “How to Make an Effective Ad Campaign,” written by Paul dela Cruz and directed by Roman Perez, Jr. of Indiopendent Films and “Hyper Ext”, tackling intimacy issues, written and directed by United Kingdom-based Pinoy visual artist Jovi Saysay, a member of SOA Philippine Studies, University of London; and the short  play “Quarantine 5” , a story of five former activists written by Andrew Estacio and directed by Sari Saysay of Sining Banwa ,Bikol. 

Set B features the short films “No Trespassing” set in the sugar plantations in Iloilo written and directed by Dada Grifon and co-directed by Julius dela Peña of the LaSalle Film Society of Bacolod   and “Till Human Voices Wake Up and We Drown”, about mambabarangs now working as nurse and caregiver, also from the UK group, written by Rogelio Braga and directed by Nyel Camilon, and the short play “Ilaw sa Labas ng Tahanan” , on two women trying to cope with their husband’s deaths, written by B. Salvador and directed by Benjie Kitay of the theater company Yatta in  Dumaguete. 

Set C features the play “When a Manananggal Loves a Man” by Raymund T. Barcelon and directed by Neil Azcuna of Ipag theater company, of MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology, and the short films from the UK “Cooking with Love” written by Viva Andra O’Flynn and directed by Delfin Castillo; and  “Libro for Ransom” tackling the theft  of Jose Rizal’s masterpieces written by Ralph Morales and directed by Arjanmar Rebeta. 

Aside from the short films and plays, the “Shout Out Fest” Online Festival will also present virtual learning seminars, talkbacks, Q&As with artists and mentors. Festival visitors will have access to e-books, self-paced courses on playwriting and scriptwriting and other arts and culture-related content. 

Organizers would like to reiterate that the access to the festival’s content is free. However, due to the platform’s limitations, only selected audiences can join through prior arrangements. Early registrants have a chance to avail of  e-books by Ricky Lee, Rody Vera and film critic Joel David ,without any fee.

Shout Out’s board of festival directors include National Artist Ricky Lee,  Palanca Hall of Famer Rody Vera, TV and film director Jeffrey Jeturian, University of London Professor Cristina Martinez-Juan, University of the Philippines director and educator Issa Manalo Lopez,Artistic Director of Harlequin Theater Guild, De La Salle University and Pelikulove’s Program Director Raffy Tejada,  and indie film director and Pelikulove’s Chief Creative Producer  Ellen Ongkeko-Marfil. The festival’s council of evaluators includes film critic Joel David, actress-screenwriter-playwright Bibeth Orteza, and playwright and Ateneo ‘de Manila’s Theater Arts Program Coordinator Glenn Sevilla Mas. 

Pelikulove’s founder and President Ellen Ongkeko Marfil declares, “We are very excited to hold the first ever ‘Shout Out Fest’ as this festival epitomizes Pelikulove’s mission of nurturing an engaging and open environment towards building a creative community. We’d like to show that art is the soul of our lives and it must continue to thrive even in the midst of a pandemic. Now, more than ever, is the time to shout out our fears and triumphs, and shout out for the future.”

For questions and inquiries about the “Shout Out Fest” Online Festival, contact mobile (+63) 923359 6286 or the Pelikulove’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube social media accounts. The festival’s complete schedule is available at pelikulove.com. 

Source: Pelikulove

Cinema ‘76 Cafe

I finally got to visit Cinema ‘76 Cafe at Anonas after weeks of stalking their Instagram page. Since I love TBA Studios films, particularly Dito at Doon, I made sure to schedule a visit to this pretty cafe.

I was destined to sit right next to the Dito at Doon poster! What I love about this cafe is that they are pandemic-friendly. There are alcohol bottles on every table. The whole place is al fresco, yet there are several ventilators to keep patrons cool and fresh. Their iced latte and mango cake were both delicious and affordable. Best of all, the ambience is cozy and photogenic.

If you like movies, coffee, cake, and chic interiors, be sure to visit Cinema ‘76 Cafe! You won’t regret it. It is definitely worth the commute!