Actress and artist Solenn Heussaff is used to the spotlight, but during the premiere of The Gifted 4 and the Case of the Missing Gifts at Central Square Cinema 2 in Bonifacio Global City, she proudly took the backseat for her five-year-old daughter, Tili Bolzico.
Tili, one of the youngest creatives behind the animated short film made by gifted kids, stepped into the role of director for the first time.
Solenn, meanwhile, stood just offscreen, watching, encouraging, but letting her daughter lead.
“I just really wanted her to be her own person and do her own thing,” Heussaff said. “That’s what I feel can really bring out the creativity in people.”
The May 26 event launched The Gifted 4 and the Case of the Missing Gifts, along with its companion behind-the-scenes series, Gifted Kids in Action—a project supported by PROMIL that brings together four children, including Tili and Alfie Burnand, who collaborated with top mentors in writing, animation, and music.
It’s a celebration of imagination and early development—something Heussaff says can’t thrive without parental support.
For Solenn, that support begins with presence.
“You decide how you want to parent, and just try to be as present as you can,” she said. “For me, it’s presence that we don’t have much of nowadays.”
The actress said she was initially worried about how her daughter would perform in a production setting, especially with new faces around. But the process revealed a different side of Tili, one that thrived through language, interaction, and quiet confidence.
“She’s always been good at communicating because we speak three languages at home,” Heussaff shared. “But here, I saw her come out of her shell and communicate with older people, younger people, and be clear.”
Heussaff also reflected on the realities of modern parenting, noting that mistakes are part of the journey—and shouldn’t be seen as failures.
“It’s not hit or miss,” she said. “It’s like you miss, and then you learn from it, and then you get better at it.”
And while she admits that she can be more lenient compared to her husband, Nico Bolzico, who tends to be the stricter parent, Heussaff emphasizes that they’re learning together.
What matters most, she says, is giving their daughter the space and trust to grow.
“If there’s one trait I want her to have, it’s the ability to make people smile,” she added. “That’s something Nico’s really good at, and I see it in her, too.”
The Gifted 4 and the Case of the Missing Gifts is the first animated film in the Philippines created entirely by young children, a milestone that Heussaff says will stay with their family forever, not just because of the film, but because of the moment it captured.
“She just needed the space to shine,” she said.
