Special Sundance 2006 Edition
PEOPLE Profile Featuring:
Dir: Aureaus Solito "The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros"
Part III Interview
Transcription of a live on camera interview by Luis Pedron with Aureaus Solito, director of "The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros." Sundance Headquarters, Park City Marriott, Park City UTAH
Luis: There were 4 Filipinos in that (Press) screening room awhile ago (Sundance
Press SCreening for "The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros" Jan 20, 2006). What we noticed,
we specially loved the non verbals. The silent moments. American Critcs or writers love
those silent moments that say more, that say a lot. You captured that well with the family
members especially and the cop did it a couple of times.So I was proud of the actors.
I thought,Kudos to the director. Do you mind commenting on your directing style? It was
not just Filpino, it was kind of European, it was kind of American. Can you comment about
your directing style?
Aureaus: Regarding the observations about the silences. That is one of my favorite
reactions. The first one who reacted about the silences was the German wife of
Kidlat Tahimik. She was writing about Cultural Barriers about the Philippines. She wrote an
article, about a chapter on her book about my earlier films, my indeginous works, my other
short films. She was mentioning about the best moments about "Maximo" were the silences.
All Filipino artists and all Filipino people are the embodiment of interweaving cultures.
Growing up with Hollywood, growing up with good Art Films, growing up with good Political
movies so its an intermix of that. As a filmmaker, I really don't plan.
I am an instinctive filmmaker. For this film, I never made a shot list. So when we filmed it
I'll just leave it to the actors, so let's do it this way, let's try it that way. Because
instinct is pure, like you have this experience of life. You just feel it. Maybe I'm
an emotional filmmaker. A filmmaker of feeling, then I imagine the scene.
I never plan, I do little plans but I am more instinctive, than a technical filmmaker.
Luis: How many takes average since you shot in DV?
Aureaus: When I was doing 16 mm, before we shoot limited. With DV we average 5 takes.
But there was one scene that it took 17 takes. Guess which one?
Luis: Camera used and editing suite?
Aureaus: Panasonic 24P and Final Cut Pro
Luis: What is your turn around in the Philippines in this type of movie from shooting it
to releasing it?
Aureaus: We shot it on December and we shot it in 13 days. It was suppose to be premiered
on February but then CineMalaya postponed it to July so we had time to time to edit so
it had a perfect nine month gestation like a real child.
Luis: It really blossomed in nine months.
Aureaus: it really hinog (rippened)
Luis: A couple guys were commenting in NY that wow you are blessed, usually Sundance is
into accepting World Premieres, yours is not a World Premiering in Sundance.
You guys are blessed. I am really happy for you guys. I am really excited.
Aureaus: Salamat Luis ( Thank you )
Luis: Future for you?
Aureaus: Well now I have a fellowship from the Nippon Foundation. So I am staying in
Okinawa, Japan for four months, in Borneo for four months Malaysia to document rituals.
So after that I intend to do my next dramatic feature film. So I am just imagining
little things. I might do a play I wrote in 90 which is a musical play directed
and wrote during my theater days entitled "Manhid" (No Feelings). I am really deeply
thinking about it.
Luis: Maraming salamat (Thank you) Aureaus and Congratulations!!!
Related information:
Official Site: http://maximooliveros.tripod.com/
Sundance 2006 Director Interviews by Luis Pedron of Fanclubx.com:
Aureaus Solito Part 1
Aureaus Solito Part 2
Park City VLOGS (Video Log, No Sound) by: Luis Pedron of Fanclubx.com
Luis with Aureaus Solito
THE BLOSSOMING OF MAXIMO OLIVEROS
Philippines, 2005, 100 Minutes, colorDirector: Auraeus Solito
Screenwriter:
Michiko Yamamoto
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Just like the flower in the opening scenes, 12-year-old Maxi is a beautiful accent in the gritty underworld on the outskirts of Manila, where he lives. Living with his outlaw father and two older brothers, Maxi dutifully infuses everything he does for them with love. From cooking and sewing to braiding his brother's hair, Maxi fulfills the role of dalaga for his family, living as a young lady in the absence of femininity and their deceased mother. We follow Maxi through his glowing and textured world of shopping, reenacting beauty pageants, and hanging out at a local DVD stand that screens movies for abundant audiences of transient children. But Maxi's emotions blossom late one night when he is rescued from neighborhood thugs by Victor, a kind rookie cop. Smitten with the handsome policeman, Maxi begins to feel pulled between the petty-thief family that he loves and the law and romance Victor embodies. As part of an impressive ensemble cast, newcomers Nathan Lopez and JR Valentin exuberantly inhabit their roles as Maxi and Victor. With its vibrant cinematography, simple scoring, and vast emotional scope, Auraeus Solito's directorial debut as a dramatic filmmaker seems itself like a flower amid the grit of most contemporary cinema.— N. Bird Runningwater
Screenwriter : Michiko Yamamoto
Producer : Raymond Lee
Cinematographer : Nap Jamir
Editors : Kanakan-Balintagos, Clang Sison
Production Designers : Crsitina Dy, Clint Catalan, Lilly Esquillon
Music : Pepe Smith
Cast : JR Valentin, Soliman Cruz, Neil Ryan Sese, Ping Medina, Bodjie Pascua, Nathan Lopez
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| www.imdb.com/title/tt0479506/ |
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Screening Times |
| Thursday , Jan 26 |
9:00 PM |
Egyptian Theatre, Park City |
BLOSS26EN |
| Friday , Jan 27 |
6:15 PM |
Holiday Village Cinema III |
BLOSS273E |
| Saturday , Jan 28 |
9:00 AM |
Egyptian Theatre, Park City |
BLOSS28EM |
| Saturday , Jan 28 |
9:45 PM |
Broadway Centre Cinemas V, SLC |
BLOSS28BN | |
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Director(s) Bios |
Auraeus Solito
Auraeus Solito won the Golden Zenith Award at the Montreal World Film Festival for his first feature, The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros. His second feature, Tuli (Circumcision), won best film and best director awards at the CineManila Digital Competition. Solito's documentary, Basal Banar (The Scared Ritual of Truth), is also a multiple award winner. As an Asian Public Intellectual Fellow of the Nippon Foundation, Japan, Solito is currently making a documentary on island rituals in Okinawa and Borneo. He traces his roots to the Indigenous Palaw'an tribe of South Palawan, Philippines. | |
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Focus on Film Festivals: Tribecca Film Festival 2006
http://www.fanclub.citymaker.com/TribeccaFilmFestival2006.html
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Focus on Community: Kalusugan Coalition/Project AsPIRE
http://www.kalusugancoalition.org/9.html
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Focus on the Stars: Sharon Cuneta and Ogie Alcasid
Video Blog by: Luis Pedron
http://www.fanclub.citymaker.com/SharonCunetaOgieAlcasid.html
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