DIEGESIS IT IS!

PAGDADALAGA NI MAXIMO OLIVEROS

The movie, "Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros" or in its english version, "The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros" is all about a gay teen who is torn between his love for a young cop and his loyalty to his family. Maxi is a 12-year-old effeminate gay boy who lives in the slums with his father and brothers who steal just to earl a living. The story primarily revolves around the conflict between his love for handsome young police officer Victor, and his family's illegal livelihood. 

In our Film Criticism class, we discussed about DIEGESIS, a part of a film that is no longer incorporated or shown because its already understood. Some parts of the movie are needed to be cut not because they are not important but because they are not necessary to be part of it. People nowadays are intelligent enough to find clues and guides to be able to understand the story.

In this very realistic movie, there were some peak moments where DIEGESIS was shown.

1. THE DEATH OF MAXI'S MOTHER

                   In the film, there was just an old picture of Maxi's mother with a lighted candle at the altar. As an audience, you could say that his mother is dead already in our traditional context. 

2. THE BURIAL OF MAXI'S FATHER

                       It was not shown but one thing that made the viewers know that his father was already buried was that the picture of Maxi's father was placed beside his mom's at the altar. 

3. LOVE OF MAXI TO VICTOR

                        Maxi had crush on Victor. It was clearly shown in the movie but what was not was that the love of Maxi became the cause of everything. That love was the reason why the plot of the story became interesting.