Premiere Productions

Premiere Entertainment Productions

Company type	Private
Industry	Film production
Founded	1946
Founder	Dr. Ciriaco Santiago, Adela Hermoso
Defunct	2004
Fate	Ceased film production, became investment holding company Premiere Horizon Alliance Corporation
Headquarters	Caloocan , Philippines
Products	Motion pictures

Premiere Entertainment Productions stood as one of the leading film production firms in the Philippines, alongside prominent studios such as Sampaguita Pictures, LVN Pictures, and Lea Productions. Founded in 1946 by Dr. Ciriaco Santiago and Adela Hermoso, the company debuted with the motion picture Probinsyana, which premiered at the Dalisay Theater on August 13. Premiere secured Maria Clara Best Picture honors for the films Kamay ni Satanas (1950) and Sisa (1951).

The studio was home to distinguished artists including Nena Cardenas, Anita Linda, Gloria Sevilla, Fernando Poe Jr., Carlos Padilla Jr., and Eddie Fernandez. Premiere was particularly recognized for its action genre productions starring actors like Efren Reyes and Fernando Poe Jr., with numerous projects helmed by National Artist Gerardo de Leon. De Leon earned the Best Director award for Ifugao (1954) and was later inducted into the FAMAS Best Director Hall of Fame.

Production was temporarily suspended in 1952 due to labor disputes but recommenced in 1957. In 1972, leadership transitioned to Santiago’s daughter, Digna, under whose guidance the company produced acclaimed films such as Ang Uliran (1971) and Postcards from China (1975). The firm was honored with induction into the FAMAS Hall of Fame in 1977 after winning five Best Picture awards, including for Ang Sawa sa Lumang Simboryo (1952) and Minsa’y Isang Gamu-Gamo (1976).

Although Premiere stopped producing films by 1979, it continued to offer production facilities for international collaborations like Equalizer 2000 (1987) and The Expendables (1988), both directed by Cirio H. Santiago, son of Ciriaco Santiago.

The company experienced a revival in 1996, releasing titles such as To Saudi with Love, showcased at the Manila Film Festival; Aringkingking (1996), featured in the Metro Manila Film Festival; a remake of Anak ng Bulkan (1997), inspired by the Mount Pinatubo eruption; the biographical film Kadre (1997); Ama Namin (1998); and Operation Balikatan (2003).

Due to a downturn in the film industry, Premiere ceased production indefinitely in 2004. Its final movie, Captain Barbell (2003), participated in the Metro Manila Film Festival, earning a Best Picture nomination and becoming the highest-grossing entry with ₱61 million in earnings. Since then, it has operated as an investment holding entity named Premiere Horizon Alliance Corporation.

External links

• Premiere Horizon Alliance