Because Boss Wilson’s involvement in Philippine entertainment is varied and spans decades, a book about his experiences is certainly in order.’
Wilson Tieng is a true entertainment mogul.
As president of Solar Entertainment, a TV and movie company, he is responsible for many innovations in the local industry.
He brought in “Amelie,” “Blairwitch Project,” Begin Again,” and other international movies that do not star big names but have interesting and compelling stories that capture the audience’s imagination and have become box-office hits. Boss Wilson – as he is fondly called by his employees – also produced local movies. Boss Wilson was co-producer of “Lagarista”; written by Ricky Lee and directed by Mel Chionglo, it starred heartthrob Piolo Pascual as a film reel courier who transported 35mm movies from one cinema to another in the days when copies were shared among movie theaters.
Boss Wilson’s ETC Channel was groundbreaking for programs like “Glee,” “Project Runway,” “Gossip Girl,” “American Idol” and Turkish soap operas.
Clearly Boss Wilson is not your typical entrepreneur who sticks to formula. The more unique it is, the more he is likely to be interested to support it.
Thus, it may have been no surprise for Boss Wilson to team up with Cannes International Film Festival best director Brillante Mendoza for the Sinag Maynila Film Festival – a showcase of independent works that banner the “Sine Lokal, Pang-International” brand. The independent film fest returns this 2024 after a four-year hiatus for its 6th edition. The festival will run from September 4 to 8 in selected local theaters.
“We created Sinag Maynila Film Festival with the vision to provide a platform for Filipino filmmakers to showcase their talent, and build a community where creativity can flourish,” said Boss Wilson.
Since 2015, Sinag Maynila has nutured film artists who have become notable names in the industry. “We are truly proud of our past winners who have gone to become successful directors and producers,” declared Boss Wilson.
Boss Wilson shares about some of the Sinag Maynila filmmakers who are making waves.
“Zig Dulay, who joined the festival in its first year with ‘Bambanti’ has gone on to make waves on TV, directing teleseryes ‘Maria Clara and Ibarra,’ ‘My Guardian Alien’ and ‘Widow’s War’,” said Boss Wilson. Zig is also the director of the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival hit “Firefly.”
Boss Wilson added, “Another Sinag Maynila alumnus taking over primetime with ‘Pamilya Sagrada’ is Lawrence Fajardo. He directed the 2015 festival entry ‘Imbisibol’ that went on to have numerous international screenings.”
Another Sinag Maynila alumnus is writer- director Adolf Alix, Jr. whose show “Lilet Matias, Attorney-At-Law” is also resonating with TV audiences.
“Their journey is a testament to the impact of this festival finding talent and helping cultivate careers,” said Boss Wilson
His advocacy goes beyond the festival as Boss Wilson’s Solar Entertainment company is a consistent distribution partner of Filipino filmmakers for many years now. From Mike de Leon’s “Bayaning Third World” to Paul Soriano’s “Siargao” to Ramona Diaz’s “And So It Begins” and many other indies, Solar helps find audiences for these special movies through screenings in theaters and other venues.
Because Boss Wilson’s involvement in Philippine entertainment is varied and spans decades, a book about his experiences is certainly in order. His team at Solar has been convincing him to write his memoirs. It’s something that Boss Wilson is eager to do. But for now he is still busy helping the Filipino filmmakers whom he has so much faith in.
