The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros
(2005, 100 min.) PHILIPPINES
Director: Auraeus Solito (Palaw'an)
In Tagalog with English subtitles.

Born into a Manila slum, gay preteen Maxi's unquestioning devotion to his family of small-time criminals is undermined when he befriends a young policeman. Solitos, also known by his Palawa'n name Kanakan Balintagos, was named Best Director at the ImagiNative Film and Media Festival in Toronto. The film was screened at the 2006 New Directors/New Films in New York and won the Golden Zenith Award at the Montreal World Film Festival.

Image credit: The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros - courtesy of Auraeus Solito; The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros - courtesy of Auraeus Solito