VIVA Films

Viva Films is a Filipino film production company founded in 1981 by Vicente del Rosario, Jr. It is owned by Viva Communications Inc.

History

Veering away from the Sharon Cuneta-Gabby Concepcion tandem, Viva became home of quality dramatic films. The "glossy" production of films such as "Sinasamba Kita", "Palimos ng Pag-ibig", "Saan Darating Ang Umaga?", "Kung Mahawi Man Ang Ulap" and "Paano Ba Ang Mangarap?" garnered critical and commercial acclaims. Viva Films also made a documentary film on the Puerto Rican boy group Menudo on their visit to the Philippines in 1985.

Viva launched then-supporting actor Phillip Salvador as an action star in the movie "Boy Negro". It was also instrumental in introducing to the public Robin Padilla ("Bad Boy" and "Anak ni Baby Ama") and Raymart Santiago ("Noel Juico: Batang Kriminal") as new action heroes. Veteran action stars Eddie Garcia, Rudy Fernandez, Bong Revilla Jr. and Fernando Poe, Jr. .

Viva also made "glossy" comedy films like "Working Girls" and "Sa Totoo Lang" which featured serious actors and actresses as main characters instead of comedians. The company also gambled on new comedians as the '80s decade was about to end. Comedy flicks such as "Puto", "Jack en Jill", "Humanap ka ng Panget" and "I Love You Three Times a Day" launched the respective careers of Herbert Bautista, Andrew E. and Jimmy Santos. In the 1990s, Viva launched the careers of Dennis Padilla and Janno Gibbs as solo comedians while reviving the film careers of veteran comedians Redford White ("Neber 2 Geder"), Chiquito ("Pinagbiyak na Bunga") and Joey de Leon ("Hibangers").