Axel Timo Purr talks to author, musician and filmmaker Ronaldo S. Vivo Jr. about his acclaimed Dreamland trilogy, in which violence, poverty and colonial trauma collide. Growing up in the slums of Manila, influenced by Hong Kong action films, Pacino and De Niro, Vivo writes in a cinematic style - raw, rhythmic and uncompromisingly Filipino. This is a risk for him: even in reading circles, Filipino is still considered an exception. The drummer of several punk and metal bands sees writing as a continuation of film - only with words instead of cuts. His new Arson trilogy also follows the nation's trauma caused by the colonial era and the US and Japanese occupation. Due to cyberattacks by the Duterte regime, Vivo stays away from social media - but his books, films and songs continue to revolve around the same question: how do you narrate resistance in a language that still seems to be an act of rebellion?

Language: English

Place/Date: Manila, September 2,  2025

This podcast is part of the report Literary Travel in the Philippines.

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