Abramorama has acquired North American theatrical rights to “Eraserheads: Combo on the Run,” an award-winning documentary on the legendary Filipino rock band, from DVent Pictures.
Directed and produced by Maria Diane Ventura, the film traces the band’s entire journey – from their origins as university students in the Philippines in 1989, emerging in the aftermath of the EDSA People Power Revolution, to their rise as a generation-defining act and a reunion tour that packed in close to 250,000 fans. The acquisition marks Abramorama’s first Philippine music film.
Drawing on candid interviews, previously unseen archival material, and rare behind-the-scenes footage, the documentary examines the band’s arc through fame, internal tensions, personal growth, and lasting cultural impact. The film also situates the Eraserheads within the broader context of Philippine society, exploring how their music became bound up with the nation’s identity during a period of sharp political division.
Before its North American debut, the film has already built a notable track record. It became the first Filipino music documentary to secure the widest theatrical release in the Philippines, through Warner Bros., and the first Filipino film to screen at San Diego Comic-Con. The festival circuit brought further recognition, including the Best International Documentary prize at the Ierapetra International Feature Documentary Festival in Greece. The film also screened in the official Spotlight on the Philippines program at the 44th Annual Hawaii International Film Festival, as well as at Doc Berlin and the Liverpool Film Festival.
Formed in Quezon City in 1989 by Ely Buendia, Marcus Adoro, Buddy Zabala, and Raimund Marasigan, the Eraserheads are widely regarded as one of the most influential acts in the history of Original Pilipino Music, often dubbed “the Beatles of the Philippines.” Their catalog has surpassed one billion streams on Spotify alone, and in 1997 they became the first Filipino artist to take home MTV Asia’s Viewers Choice Award at the MTV Video Music Awards.
“I’m incredibly excited about this partnership with Abramorama,” Ventura said. “They are the perfect home for this film, not just because of their legacy in music documentaries, but because they understand stories that resonate on a deeper cultural level. While the film is rooted in the Eraserheads’ music, it speaks to division, reconciliation, and healing during a turbulent political moment.”
Abramorama CEO/president Karol Martesko-Fenster and senior VP business growth and creative strategy Damon G. Smith said in a joint statement: “The Eraserheads’ story is one of extraordinary music. But it’s also about something much bigger – belonging, healing, and finding your way back to each other. Maria Diane Ventura has captured the interpersonal dynamics with real depth and heart, and we couldn’t be more excited to bring this film to North American audiences for the first time.”
Western Film Services’ Joe Garel will guide theatrical sales for the North American release, working alongside the Abramorama and AB2 Media Group teams on a targeted strategy aimed at Filipino communities, music audiences, and specialty markets. The collaboration builds on the record-breaking North American theatrical run of Philippines romance “Hello, Love, Again,” which Abramorama and Western Film Services previously partnered on.
“Eraserheads: Combo on the Run” joins Abramorama’s slate of music documentaries, which includes Ron Howard’s Grammy Award-winning “The Beatles: Eight Days a Week – The Touring Years,” Paris Barclay’s “Billy Preston: That’s the Way God Planned It,” and Fiona Prine’s “You Got Gold: A Celebration of John Prine.” The film opens in multiple markets across the U.S. and Canada on April 24.
