(Philippines, 2005, 100 min., Tagalog w/ ES)
Director: Aureous Solito
At first glimpse, The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros seems like an ordinary story: Maxi is a clever, hard-working 12-year-old who cares for his father and older brothers. But Maxi’s family members are all petty criminals in Manilla's very mean streets, and Maxi is gay. Caught between childhood and adulthood, the boy develops a crush on Victor, the new young policeman sent in to clean up crime in the neighborhood. Both dramatic and comedic, honest and humorous, this award-winning film earned both critical and public praise for its straightforward view of the challenges of poverty, puberty and sexual orientation. The acknowledgment and acceptance of Maxi's gay flamboyancy in a Filipino household is as impressive as the struggle of the youth to stay true to himself in a society where bribery and corruption are pervasive. A film that portrays the sweet and bittersweet experience of coming of age, told with a Filipino flare.
