Alexis Tioseco
Encyclopedia
Alexis Tioseco was a Filipino Canadian
film critic and a film professor at the University of Asia and the Pacific
. Recognized as an advocate of Southeast Asian cinema and as Philippine cinema
's most passionate champion, he was named by the Philippine Star in 2005 as “one of the most important young people in the Philippines
today” for his efforts to promote his nation’s cinema. He was the editor of the Southeast Asian film journal Criticine.
in 1983. In 1996, he returned to the Philippines where he completed his college studies and worked in the family business.
Tioseco credited the Lav Diaz
film, Batang West Side, as having awakened his interest in Philippine cinema. He established a website, criticine.com, which was hailed in Filmmaker as "arguably the most influential, intelligent blog on Southeast Asian cinema". Tioseco became known for his efforts to expose foreign audiences to Philippine independent cinema. He helped organize established filmmakers in a failed attempt to seek reforms to the Metro Manila Film Festival
.
His 2008 article in Rogue, styled as a love letter
to his partner Nika Bohinc, was later named by American film writer Gabe Klinger, writing in The Auteurs, as "the definitive manifesto on Philippine film [that] will soon become a canonical piece of critical writing." Apart from Rogue, Tioseco contributed to The Philippine Star
, Screen International
and Senses of Cinema
, as well as to catalogues of the Torino and Pesaro International Film Festivals. At the time of his death in 2009, he was a regular contributor to UNO, a Philippine men's magazine. He likewise joined the faculty of the Arts Department of the University of Asia and the Pacific
. Tioseco also participated as a jury in several international film festivals. It was at the 2007 Rotterdam Film Festival that the Slovenia
n film critic Nika Bohinc would become Tioseco's romantic partner.
home in an apparent burglary staged by three armed men who fled the scene. He was 28 years old. Bohinc, who had moved to the Philippines to be with Tioseco, was also slain. Police were investigating the participation in the crime of a stay-in housemaid recently hired by Tioseco, who had fled together with the suspects.
Filipino Canadian
Filipino Canadians are Canadians of Filipino ancestry. Filipino-Canadians are the fourth-largest subgroup of the Overseas Filipinos.Canada only had a small population of Filipinos until the late 20th century. To date, there are currently around 400,000 Filipino Canadians in Canada, most of them...
film critic and a film professor at the University of Asia and the Pacific
University of Asia and the Pacific
The University of Asia and the Pacific is a private research university in the Philippines. It traces its beginnings to the Center for Research and Communication , which was established in 1967 as a private think-tank that conducted economic and social research and offered graduate courses in...
. Recognized as an advocate of Southeast Asian cinema and as Philippine cinema
Cinema of the Philippines
Cinema of the Philippines started with the introduction of the first moving pictures to the country on January 1, 1897 at the Salón de Pertierra in Manila. The following year, local scenes were shot on film for the first time by a Spaniard, Antonio Ramos, using the Lumiere Cinematograph...
's most passionate champion, he was named by the Philippine Star in 2005 as “one of the most important young people in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
today” for his efforts to promote his nation’s cinema. He was the editor of the Southeast Asian film journal Criticine.
Biography
Tioseco was born in the Philippines, but moved with his family to CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in 1983. In 1996, he returned to the Philippines where he completed his college studies and worked in the family business.
Tioseco credited the Lav Diaz
Lav Diaz
Lav Diaz or Lavrente Indico Diaz is a Filipino independent filmmaker, born in Datu Paglas, Maguindanao, Mindanao, Philippines, on December 30, 1958....
film, Batang West Side, as having awakened his interest in Philippine cinema. He established a website, criticine.com, which was hailed in Filmmaker as "arguably the most influential, intelligent blog on Southeast Asian cinema". Tioseco became known for his efforts to expose foreign audiences to Philippine independent cinema. He helped organize established filmmakers in a failed attempt to seek reforms to the Metro Manila Film Festival
Metro Manila Film Festival
upright|thumb|320px|Metro Manila Film Festival Official LogoThe Metro Manila Film Festival-Philippines is the annual film festival held in Manila...
.
His 2008 article in Rogue, styled as a love letter
Love letter
A love letter is a romantic way to express feelings of love in written form. Delivered by hand, by mail or romantically left in a secret location, the letter may be anything from a short and simple message of love to a lengthy explanation of feelings...
to his partner Nika Bohinc, was later named by American film writer Gabe Klinger, writing in The Auteurs, as "the definitive manifesto on Philippine film [that] will soon become a canonical piece of critical writing." Apart from Rogue, Tioseco contributed to The Philippine Star
The Philippine Star
The Philippine Star is a daily English-language broadsheet newspaper based in Manila and circulated nationwide in the Philippines. Owned and published by PhilSTAR Daily, Inc, it was founded on July 28, 1986 by veteran journalists Max Soliven, Betty Go-Belmonte and Art Borjal...
, Screen International
Screen International
Screen International is a multimedia film magazine covering the international film business. It is published by EMAP, a British b2b media company.The magazine is primarily aimed at those involved in the global movie business...
and Senses of Cinema
Senses of Cinema
Senses of Cinema is a quarterly online film magazine founded in 1999 by filmmaker Bill Mousoulis. Based in Melbourne, Australia, Senses of Cinema publishes work by film critics from all over the world, including critical essays, career overviews of the works of key directors, and coverage of many...
, as well as to catalogues of the Torino and Pesaro International Film Festivals. At the time of his death in 2009, he was a regular contributor to UNO, a Philippine men's magazine. He likewise joined the faculty of the Arts Department of the University of Asia and the Pacific
University of Asia and the Pacific
The University of Asia and the Pacific is a private research university in the Philippines. It traces its beginnings to the Center for Research and Communication , which was established in 1967 as a private think-tank that conducted economic and social research and offered graduate courses in...
. Tioseco also participated as a jury in several international film festivals. It was at the 2007 Rotterdam Film Festival that the Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
n film critic Nika Bohinc would become Tioseco's romantic partner.
Death
On the night of 1 September 2009, Tioseco was killed at his Quezon CityQuezon City
Quezon City is the former capital and the most populous city in the Philippines. Located on the island of Luzon, Quezon City is one of the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila, the National Capital Region. The city was named after Manuel L...
home in an apparent burglary staged by three armed men who fled the scene. He was 28 years old. Bohinc, who had moved to the Philippines to be with Tioseco, was also slain. Police were investigating the participation in the crime of a stay-in housemaid recently hired by Tioseco, who had fled together with the suspects.