Fridae

Slender and sweet-looking, Maximo (Nathan Lopez) glides through the slums of Manila like a catwalk model. His side-parted hair and skinny legs seem inspired by 1960s supermodel Twiggy. Sometimes he and his gay friends would put on a little fashion show for themselves, where they wear sequined gowns with capes and peacock-feathers.

Although he is just 12, Maximo already knows how to be out and proud - a feat few of us could pull off at that age.

But one evening on his way home, Maximo crosses path with some local bullies. They taunt and strip him. Out of the blue, the new neighbourhood policeman swoops in, scares the thugs away, and then carries the traumatised Maximo to safety.

Policeman Victor (JR Valentin) is not only heroic, but also very handsome. He has gentle brown eyes and one hell of a smile. Even if he's a little soft in the middle, he sure looks better than the burly unwashed men who inhabit the slums where Maximo lives.

In short, Victor is The Dreamguy for our young drag princess - who begins his passionate pursuit of the policeman. Although Victor is older, very straight and very Catholic, Maximo is undeterred. He cooks lunch and takes to Victor at the police station where he works. He leaves little notes on Victor's doorstep. And he steals glances at Victor's naked torso when the latter is dressing...

Now in the hands of a less skillful director, this tale of unrequited love between a young gay boy and a straight older policeman could be very awkward - even exploitative. Few movies have managed to tastefully tackle the subject of teenage crushes on older men - let alone a gay one.

Yet in the reins of director Auraeus Solito and screenwriter Michiiko Yamamoto, The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros is delightfully natural, comedic and heartfelt.

Part of the film's charm lies in the fact that it doesn't make a big fuss about Maximo's sexuality. It simply tells it like it is - "Maximo is 12 and he is gay... So?" - and then goes on to spin a charming little story of his first crush.

Compared to other angst-ridden gay movies, The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros doesn't have a single "coming out of the closet" issue or identity crisis. It plays almost like a mainstream romance - except that its lead character just happens to be gay and underaged.

No wonder, then, that the film won numerous international awards and even got selected to represent the Philippines in the Oscars' Best Foreign Picture category in 2006 - despite a miniscule budget of US$19,000.

The refreshing storytelling is also aided by the warm, spontaneous performances. Young Nathan Lopez is brilliantly natural as Maximo, while JR Valentin is nicely understated as the hunky policeman. The supporting cast generally give convincing performances.

Boosted by the excellent guitar soundtrack and evocative setting of Manila's slums, The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros is as natural and authentic a queer film as you'll ever get. Gay men should certainly see it - it may remind you of what it was like to 12, dreaming of being a beauty queen, and fancying straight men.