Something to rave about

So I nursed this headache for a day and a half. I’m not sure if it’s the starvation diet I’m on, or the movie screening I was invited to. The movie was so dark, not in a Tim Burton sense, but in a low-budget sense. I wish they had more budget for lighting because I almost got cross-eyed trying to view it, and what a shame, it’s just one of the best things I have ever seen in my entire life.

I should thank Jerome Gomez, editor of StarStudio magazine, for convincing me to attend a special screening of Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros all the way in UP Film Center.

Only once in a great while do I come across a movie that has moved me so much, made me cry five times, maybe more, where the audience laughed and applauded and stayed glued to their seats till the last credit rolled.

I hope nobody is scandalized in case I’m making a gross exaggeration, but I’ve seen really good films where a young boy is the central figure, like Life Is Beautiful and Cinema Paradiso. Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros is just as good, if not for a few ambiguous scenes and the lighting problem I mentioned.

But the film’s producer, Raymond Lee, tells me the problem has been fixed by cinematographer Louie Quirino who color-corrected and altered the dark portions, while Tad Ermitaño fixed audio.

Just in time for the film’s showing at the Montreal World Film Festival where it will compete against entries from 14 other countries.

According to actor Ping Medina, the film is "in competition in the first-time filmmakers category in what’s considered the second most prestigious film fest in the world, next to Cannes… Maximo Oliveros came in too late for Cannes."

After Montreal, the producer hopes to find a distributor in order to screen the movie widely by November or January next year.

Unlike most Filipino gay movies that go to film festivals abroad, this isn’t your typical gay sex movie. In fact, it’s so innocent, about a pre-teen boy torn between a crush on a straight cop and loyalty to his family of criminals. Unlike typical Pinoy movies where the gay guy is either abused or slapped in the head, Maxi is the light of his home that no longer has a mom. He’s adored by two elder, macho brothers and a father whose business is reselling snatched cell phones.

He develops a puppy crush on an idealistic cop who saves him from a couple of would-be rapists. Conflict begins when the cop is convinced one of Maxi’s brothers is guilty of the murder of a 16-year-old boy.

Unlike Filipino movies where you wonder why and how Sharon Cuneta and Gabby Concepcion are fighting over their brown kid, it’s amazing how everyone here was perfectly cast – how the family really looks like a family.

Soliman Cruz is both endearing as a father and despicable as the thug Mang Paco. Neil Ryan Sese was equally vile as the criminal Kuya Boy.

Ping Medina just walked in the audition without mentioning he was the son of veteran actor Pen Medina. "Unang audition pa lang, siya na," said Raymond Lee.

Bodjie Pascua was cast against type. He plays a pivotal role that will shock audiences used to his friendly neighborhood Kuya Bodgie role.

While the family members were fairly easy to cast, the producers had a hard time finding the right actors to play Maxi, the 12-year-old gay boy, and Victor, the cop.

Close to a hundred child actors were auditioned for the part of Maxi, including some real gay boys. "Most of them were physically wrong because most child actors are overnourished (overweight)," explained Raymond. "They wouldn’t look right in a slum setting."

The casting of Nathan Lopez as Maxi was an accident. Apparently, he and his identical twin brother are part of a boys’ dance group. They were just there to accompany someone to the audition. Just for fun, they danced for the video crew.

When the producers ran out of options, they reviewed the video and picked out Nathan. "Because he’s a dancer, he’s very graceful na bibbo na makulit," said Raymond.

Nathan is adorable as Maxi. He looks a lot like a good-looking, mestizo version of a younger Jomari Yllana.

He doesn’t cry that well, but otherwise he was perfect for the role. Even I was convinced he was gay from birth; apparently he is not. And he definitely has star quality. After the screening he was practically mobbed by autograph seekers.

JR Valentin, who plays the cop, was also a last audition. Primarily a model, this hot new actor from Cebu has had previous ramp work, including a Bench underwear show. He appeared as Francine Prieto’s partner in Bridal Shower, but nobody noticed because it was such a small role.

He was a last-minute suggestion by director Aureaus Solito who was impressed by JR in an acting workshop.

"At first we had apprehensions, because he’s really tall (JR is 6’3")," said Raymond. "We were looking for someone who at first glance would look like a saint. JR turned out to be perfect because he ended up a gentle giant against Nathan, who looked smaller and younger next to him.

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Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros screened to full houses at the CCP and UP as one of the nine full-length entries in the 1st Cinemalaya film festival and competition. Aside from winning the Cinemalaya Jury Prize, the film was awarded Best Production Design (by Christina Dy, Clint Catalan, and Lily Esquillon) and a special citation was given to first-time actor Nathan Lopez. It was written and produced by Michiko Yamamoto (Magnifico) and Raymond Lee (Milan) of Ufo Pictures and directed by award-winning filmmaker Auraeus Solito.