Alexis Tioseco and Nika Bohinc were

film critic Film criticism is the analysis and evaluation of films and the film medium. In general, film criticism can be divided into two categories: journalistic criticism that appears regularly in newspapers, magazines and other popular mass-media outlets ...

s who were murdered on 1 September 2009 in

Quezon City Quezon City (, ; fil, Lungsod Quezon ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read in Filipino as Kyusi), is the List of cities in the Philippines, most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a populatio ...

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

. Prior to their deaths, the two had been living as a couple. Tioseco was a

Filipino Canadian Filipino Canadians ( French: ''Canadiens philippins''; Filipino: ''Mga Pilipinong Kanadyense'') are Canadians of Filipino descent. Filipino Canadians are the fourth largest subgroup of the overseas Filipinos and one of the fastest-growing groups ...

and a film professor at the

University of Asia and the Pacific The University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P; Filipino: ''Pamantasan ng Asya at Pasipiko'') is a private university in the Philippines. It traces its beginnings to the Center for Research and Communication (CRC), which was established on August 1 ...

. Recognized as an advocate of Southeast Asian cinema and as

Philippine cinema The Cinema of the Philippines ( Filipino: ''Pelikulang Pilipino'' or ''Sine Pilipino'') began with the introduction of the first moving pictures to the country on August 31, 1897, at the ''Salón de Pertierra'' in Manila. The following year, local ...

's most passionate champion, he was named by the ''

Philippine Star ''The Philippine Star'' (self-styled ''The Philippine STAR'') is an English-language newspaper in the Philippines and the flagship brand of the Philstar Media Group. First published on July 28, 1986, by veteran journalists Betty Go-Belmonte, M ...

'' in 2005 as "one of the most important young people in the

today" for his efforts to promote his nation's cinema. He was the editor of the Southeast Asian film journal ''Criticine''. Bohinc was a Slovene film critic.

Biographies

Tioseco was born in the Philippines, but moved with his family to

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

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 Lavrente Indico Anciro Diaz (born December 30, 1958) is a Filipino independent filmmaker and former film critic. Frequently known as one of the key members of the slow cinema movement, having made several of the list of longest films, longest na ...

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 The Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) is an annual film festival held in Metro Manila, Philippines. The festival, which runs from December 25 (Christmas) through New Year's Day and into first weekend of January in the following year, focuses on ...

. His 2008 article in ''Rogue'', styled as a

love letter A love letter is an expression of love in written form. However delivered, the letter may be anything from a short and simple message of love to a lengthy explanation and description of feelings. History One of the oldest references to a lo ...

to his partner Nika Bohinc, was later named by American film writer Gabe Klinger, writing in ''

The Auteurs The Auteurs were a British alternative rock band of the 1990s, and a vehicle for songwriter Luke Haines (guitar, piano and vocals). Several bands influenced by the Auteurs have taken their names from the band's songs. The Polish band Lenny V ...

'', as "the definitive manifesto on Philippine film

hat A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...

will soon become a canonical piece of critical writing." Apart from ''Rogue'', Tioseco contributed to ''

The Philippine Star ''The Philippine Star'' (self-styled ''The Philippine STAR'') is an English-language newspaper in the Philippines and the flagship brand of the Philstar Media Group. First published on July 28, 1986, by veteran journalists Betty Go-Belmonte, ...

'', ''

Screen International ''Screen International'' is a British film magazine covering the international film business. It is published by Media Business Insight, a British B2B media company. The magazine is primarily aimed at those involved in the global film business. ...

'' and ''

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 ...

'', 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

. Tioseco also participated as a jury in several international film festivals. It was at the 2007

Rotterdam Film Festival The International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) is an annual film festival held at the end of January in various locations in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Since its foundation in 1972, it has maintained a focus on independent and experimental fi ...

that the

Slovenia Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, an ...

n film critic Nika Bohinc would become Tioseco's romantic partner.

Murders

On the night of 1 September 2009, Tioseco was killed at his

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. Tioseco is interred at the family mausoleum in

Angeles City , anthem = Himno ning Angeles (Angeles Hymn) , subdivision_type3 = District , subdivision_name3 = , established_title = Settled , established_date = 1796 , established_title1 = Chartere ...

. On 26 February 2016, the woman accused in the murders of the couple was arrested in

. In May 2018, Criselda Dayag (formerly the couple's housemaid) was convicted of robbery with homicide, and sentenced to forty years imprisonment.

References

External links

Criticine
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tioseco, Alexis 2009 murders in the Philippines 2009 deaths Canadian film critics Canadian murder victims Canadian people of Filipino descent Couples Deaths by firearm in the Philippines Filipino emigrants to Canada People from Quezon City People murdered in the Philippines Slovenian film critics Slovenian murder victims