The international independent film community may be sprawling in size physically, separated by continents, countries, and language, but it’s united by a love for film, and a desire to share that passion. That’s why, during a pre-dawn night in the Philippines and South-east Asia, a late evening in Slovenia and Europe, and an early afternoon in the United States and Canada, hundreds of individuals found themselves in shock after learning of the senseless deaths of film critics
Alexis Tioseco and
Nika Bohinc, killed yesterday as their home was robbed in Quezon City, Manila.
To speak of Alexis, a Filipino raised in Canada who returned to Manila, and Nika, a Slovenian based in Ljubljana until only recently, is to speak of film, cinephilia, and love; it is also to speak of how we can create deep bonds with individuals scattered across the globe, who we see only once or twice a year, if that, but to whom we still feel united due to a common cause. Though I was in yet another part of the world, I was fortunate to have known and counted as friends both Alexis and Nika, even though I had only seen them at festivals here and there and even in their Quezon City home; judging from a fledgling memorial on Facebook, individuals from around the world, also separated by geography yet united by cause, feel just as connected to the two. That’s partly because of the closeness of the film community, and partly because of the effect they had on people.
Having returned “home” to Manila to assist with the family business, Alexis (ever the good son) found himself running it after his father passed away; his true passion, though, was cinema. It was
Lav Diaz’s
Batang, West Side that changed his outlook on film, and a 12-page interview with Diaz that changed his future: after that the young, early 20-something kid with the bright eyes and brighter mind dedicated himself (or as much of himself as he could spare, after the family business) to film, and specifically Filipino film. “While I love cinema in general, a passion that has grown exponentially over the years, I feel no need to put myself in service of that which doesn’t need it [Hollywood],” he wrote in a moving article in
Rogue Magazine. “Philippine cinema has given much to me, and one must pay back one’s debts.” He became a film professor and film critic, and was the driving force behind arguably the most influential, intelligent blog on Southeast Asian cinema, www.criticine.com. In 2006 (at the age of 25!), he was named by
The Philippine Star as “one of the most important young people in the country today” for his efforts to promote his nation’s cinema.
Born and raised in Slovenia (about as far from the Philippines as one can get, one would imagine), Nika too was one of those amazing young proteges seemingly invented to make the rest of us feel guilty for pissing our youth away: in her twenties she had, along with several close friends, edited a major film magazine,
Ekran, and organized the Isola Cinema Film Festival, both recognized as two of the most intellectually challenging magazines and festivals in Europe. She was also active in the Ljubljana Film Festival and IndieLisboa, and had begun promoting Slovenian films to other festivals.
In 2007 the two met at the Rotterdam Film Festival. Both had been able, fortunately, to overcome the vast difficulties facing writers from “smaller” nations when it comes to attending festivals; there will be Americans, Brits, Western Europeans galore, Japanese, Canadians, and Koreans all over, but unfortunately very few representatives from anywhere else. Both Alexis and Nika, however, were blessed with a talent that few could deny, and they were able to finagle funds, festival invitations, and jury memberships to help their travels. “I never expected to have the opportunity to travel for/from film, especially not on the expenses of others—but, slowly, the opportunities presented themselves,” Alexis wrote. “Traveling is a privilege, and not one that I take lightly.”
I also met them for the first time at Rotterdam; in fact, I was there when they met, introduced by our mutual friend, John Torres. I remember bonding with Alexis and Nika immediately; the festival environment, while filled with “fellow travelers,” is also intimidating, egotistical, and totally full of shit, so individuals as grounded, personable, and truthful as the both of them stand out. Both inspired ease and good humor, easy laughter, and most of all talk not of film or “cinema,” but ourselves, our lives and loves and utter disasters, and, of course, idle gossip about everyone else.
A few days later Alexis told me of a crush he had on someone there; “that tall blonde Slovenian?,” I asked immediately. I knew the answer before he confirmed. We all did.
From there the two split their lives across the world, wherever film (and airfare) could be found. Rotterdam, Berlin, Oberhausen, Paris, and finally, Slovenia and Manila. In 2007 they had had enough of seeing one another only during festivals (there’s more to life than film, after all, but not much more). Nika visited Manila for two months (choosing July and August, a trial-by-fire (or sweltering heat) if ever there was one).
My wife and I visited them in mid-August during that time, staying with them at the Quezon City home now marked by tragedy. We have a million wonderful memories of that time, all capped by Alexis’ and Nika’s amazing hospitality and friendship. We had only spent a few days together over the course of two years, but he treated us like long-time friends (something, I would guess, he has done to many people). We continued the bond over film; I brought them bootlegs of Nicholas Ray, Aki Kaurismaki, and Milos Forman; he gave me Ismael Bernal, Raymond Red, and, like any proud Filipino film buff, took us to a source of true pride: Manila’s vast pirated-dvd malls. Whoo-hoo!
During one calm moment, Nika, still adjusting to the growing pains of beginning to live with a lover, asked my wife, “How did you know that he was ‘the one’ for you?” My wife replied, “I just knew, almost immediately. You will, too.”
My wife and I won’t associate their Quezon City home with what tragically befell them. Instead, we’ll remember Nika looking up from Alexis’s bed, across a pile of bootleg dvd’s, with a 35mm print of
Batang West Side on the floor and copies of
Ekran on the chair, and saying, “You’re right. I think I know, already.”
“The first impulse of any good film critic, and to this I think you would agree, must be of love,” Alexis wrote to her a year later, in
Rogue. For all of us lucky to be a part of the film community, this love—for film, and for the friends we have made along the way who share it—is what unites us. It’s also what keeps our friendships going, even when we haven’t reached out to one another in months or years. And it’s what will keep people like Alexis and Nika in our hearts for a long, long time. Our condolences to their family, friends, and loved ones.
To read the full article from Alexis to Nika, visit
Rogue Magazine at…
http://rogue.ph/columns/entry/the_letter_i_would_love_to_read_to_you_in_person/P1/
Alexis Tioseco’s wonderful Criticine website can be found at….
www.criticine.com
# posted by Jason Sanders @ 9/02/2009 05:31:00 AM
Comments (17)
This is a very beautiful tribute, Jason...
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posted by Oggs Cruz @ 9/02/2009 6:45 AM
Great article and a great loss for both the world of film and Nika's native Ljubljana.
Nevertheless, it requires a factual correction. Nika did not in any way start the Ekran magazine. It has been around since 1962 - long before she was born.
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posted by Slaven @ 9/02/2009 7:53 AM
Thank you for your words, and for the beautiful picture you shared on FB.
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posted by @ 9/02/2009 8:00 AM
thanks for this post. i linked it to my website - helloise.wordpress.com
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posted by enilejna @ 9/02/2009 8:25 AM
Beautifully said, Jason.
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posted by mynette @ 9/02/2009 9:40 AM
thank you jason.-arleen
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posted by @ 9/02/2009 10:34 AM
Thanks for this...it was a lovely tribute. Alexis was my cousin, but I felt I learned a lot about him - and Nika - from your post. So thanks again.
Stephen
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posted by @ 9/02/2009 11:43 AM
jason, really touching and heart-felt post ~michella
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posted by michella @ 9/02/2009 11:50 AM
thanks Jason for putting this into words. i am completely stunned and already missing Nika. i never met Alexis, but she told me how she felt about him (she never held back!)and she was deeply in love and inspired by him. what a tragedy, those thieves will never know what they stole.
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posted by @ 9/02/2009 11:50 AM
Thanks, Jason. You are fortunate to have known this bright man. A big loss to independent cinema.
Mauro
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posted by @ 9/02/2009 12:03 PM
A very beautifully written - and obviously heart-felt - tribute.
Thank you.
She was going to return to her native Bled and Ljubljana TODAY...
I can't believe it.
Again, thank you for the kind words about them. You obviously were a true friend.
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posted by @ 9/02/2009 6:05 PM
Thank you for your beautiful tribute to them...
Amidst the pain we all feel especially with us from the independent film community, we feel some shed of light reading such beautiful memories about them... and the contribution they made for cinema will always be remembered and chronicled in the hundreds of blogs, websites, social networking sites, and even beyond the internet...
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posted by Rianne Hill Soriano @ 9/03/2009 4:57 AM
you know guyz, it'z so sad to heared about the 2 filmmaker...that somebody end their lives!!...it'z so unfair to them.."JUSTICE" is the shout of all>>
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posted by reign (^^,) @ 9/04/2009 12:09 AM
Thank you for your tribute.
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posted by @ 9/04/2009 1:08 AM
i never knew him, but always see him in screenings and been reading his writings... thanks for this amazing tribute
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posted by @ 9/04/2009 8:38 AM
I never knew Alexis but it's obvious that he was dearly loved by his friends. I hope justice won't be denied them. Rest in love Alexis and Nika.
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posted by @ 9/05/2009 5:23 AM
Thanks, Jason, a lovely, lovely tribute.
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posted by Noel Vera @ 9/07/2009 3:44 AM
