Eraserheads: COMBO ON THE RUN
Feature | Philippines, United States | 101 Minutes | English, Tagalog

When the Eraserheads formed in 1989, their music swept the country. But the REAL story behind the group has remained untold. Until now. During a time of uncertainty and political upheaval, a most unlikely group of disbanded punks provide solace to a country, unknowingly needing healing themselves. Eraserheads: COMBO ON THE RUN explores the rise, rupture and record-breaking reunion of Filipino band Eraserheads. The film traces the band’s entire journey, from their origins as university students in the Philippines, emerging in aftermath of the EDSA People Power Revolution, to their rise as a generation-defining act and their 2022 “Huling El Bimbo” reunion concert that packed in close to 250,000 fans. The Eraserheads are one of the most important and successful artists in the history of Filipino rock music, often described as the Philippines’ own Beatles. Their first three albums, Ultraelectromagneticpop!, Circus and Cutterpillow, helped transform alternative rock into a mainstream force in the Philippines, with Cutterpillow eventually achieving 8× Platinum status and becoming one of the best-selling albums in Philippine music history. The band produced more than 20 singles, including the iconic “Ang Huling El Bimbo,” “Pare Ko,” “Alapaap,” “With a Smile,” “Ligaya” and “Spoliarium,” songs that became deeply embedded in the cultural consciousness of the Philippines. In 1997, they became the first Filipino artists to win the prestigious International Viewer’s Choice Award for Asia at the MTV Video Music Awards. Their extraordinary legacy has been recognized with numerous major Philippine music honors, including the NU Rock Awards Hall of Fame and MTV Pilipinas Lifetime Achievement Award. Even after their breakup, their popularity remained immense: their reunion concerts drew tens of thousands of fans, while their music has now surpassed one billion Spotify streams, proving that their influence continues to reach new generations. Director: Maria Diana Ventura.

After the screening: A live conversation with Director Maria Diana Ventura