If there is one bright spot to come out of the senseless deaths of Alexis Tioseco and Nika Bohinc, it would be the outpouring of love and sympathy for them from all around the world.  News have been steadily trickling in from Canadian media after it was revealed that Alexis is actually Canadian - his family lives in Vancouver. Here is an article from CBC: http://www.cbc.ca/arts/film/story/2009/09/04/tiff-dedicates-film.html. Trade magazines such as Screen International, Hollywood Reporter and Variety also covered the story extensively. In Manila, his students at the University of Asia and the Pacific where he was teaching have flooded the blogs and his Facebook with messages. Filmmakers have also made their tributes. Acclaimed Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul made a touching video dedication here: www.kickthemachine.com. Respected American critics such as Jonathan Rosenbaum also chimed in with their thoughts (here is Rosenbaum's: http://www.jonathanrosenbaum.com/?p=16665). It is a small world indeed, but it is a world that was touched by Alexis' and Nika's friendship, kindness and passion for cinema.

Some have said that film criticism is a dying profession, but just looking at the impact these two people have had on hundreds (most likely thousands) of people shows that this is far from the truth. Even people who have never met either Alexis or Nika have been touched by their story. Movie City News' Kim Voynar wrote a personal piece about her own reflections on love, life and cinema (as seen here: http://www.moviecitynews.com/columnists/voynar/2009/090902.html) as a response to Alexis' wonderful article in Rogue Magazine. Another critic, Keith Uhlich, admitted that he did know know the couple, yet he still felt compelled to write about them: http://www.thehousenextdooronline.com/2009/09/alexis-tioseco-19812009-and-nika-bohinc.html. And in the Philippines, readers have expressed their sadness and anger at their loss, even though these people were not even into cinema at all. All of this is proof-positive of the good that the two have done in their careers. And I hope that their legacy will continue to inspire people for years to come.

Thank you to Jason Sanders (hhtp://www.filmmakermagazine.com/blog/2009/09/time-to-love-alexis-tioseco-nika-bohinc.php) and Gabe Klinger (http://www.theauteurs.com/notebook/posts/966) for your incredibly touching remembrances. And a very special thank you to Khavn de la Cruz and Arleen Cuevas. My thoughts are with you today at the funeral mass.

Please visit Criticine (www.criticine.com) Alexis Tioseco's website, where he put much of his writings and thoughts on cinema.