Roxlee

Roxlee
Born
Roque Lee

(1950-08-16) August 16, 1950 (age 76)
Naga City, Camarines Sur, Philippines
EducationNaga Elementary School, Ateneo de Naga University, National University, Mowelfund Film Institute
OccupationsExperimental Filmmaker and animator, cartoonist, painter, musician
Organization(s)Animagination, Sinekalye, Baybayin Prod.
Notable workGreen Rocking Chair (2006), Juan Baybayin (2007), and Manila Scream (2016)

Roque Federizon Lee (Roxlee) is a Filipino animator, filmmaker, cartoonist, and painter. Considered by many to be the godfather of young Filipino filmmakers, Roxlee is best known for creating Cesar Asar with his brother, Monlee.[citation needed]

Biography

Lee began as a cartoonist, first contributing cartoons to Jingle Magazine. Shortly after, he created the comic strip Cesar Asar for Manila Bulletin in collaboration with his brother, Monlee, from 1980 to 2000. Lee is one of the founding members of Animagination, which evolved into Animahenasyon and Sinekalye, a group of filmmakers taking films and music into the street. His surreal humor, edgy approach, and originality have been praised by many critics.[citation needed]

In the 1980s, his works were done in super-8 film, divided between hand-drawn works like The Great Smoke and pixelated live-action pieces like Juan Gapang. Although he has not worked in the animation industry, Roxlee’s independent approach to filmmaking has influenced a generation of younger animators, many of whom took up courses at the Mowelfund Film Institute in the 1980s and 1990s.[citation needed] Additionally, he has amassed a cult following in places like Western Europe, Japan, and Singapore.[citation needed]

Lee is also into oil painting and wrote the book Cesar Asar in the Planet of the Noses (2008), a collection of his cartoons and short stories. In 2020, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from FAMAS, the Philippines' oldest award giving body, in recognition of his pioneering work in alternative cinema and animation.

Major works and exhibitions

Organizational affiliations and positions

Honors and awards

Filmography

The 12 Commandments of Independent Filmmakers

Source:

  1. Thou shall shoot only original movies with original storyline. Shoot whatever available medium, what is important is the concept.
  2. Be resourceful, always look for potential sponsors. Shoot films with limited budget but with unlimited ideas. If possible, thou shall only have a maximum of 2 takes per scene.
  3. Thou shall not be blinded by the stars. If you can eliminate the star complex the better.
  4. Thou shall not patronize very commercial and trashy movies.
  5. Thou shall not limit yourself. Always aim for the international release of your films. Remember, your film can be your passport.
  6. Thou shall not be disrespectful of other filmmakers even if they make bad films.
  7. Thou shall not be greedy. Share your equipment, film stocks and ideas with other aspiring filmmakers.
  8. Thou shall not lose hope even if you have little audience for now, maybe the bigger audience will be the next generation to come.
  9. Thou shall not always aspire for financial gain but always strive for cinematic excellence.
  10. Thou shall not be bothered by bad reviews of your films. Put in mind there are bad critics everywhere.
  11. Thou shall not have the feeling of a great director. Be humble and recognize the existence of the Supreme Being above.
  12. Thou shall not lose the passion of making films. Just work and work up to the last breath.