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ABS-CBN Film Productions, Inc., trade name Star Cinema and also known as ABS-CBN Films (since 2018), is a Philippines film studio, television production and distribution company headquartered in Quezon City. It is one of the largest film studios in the Philippines, along with Regal Entertainment, GMA Pictures, and Viva Films. Star Cinema has produced and released most of the highest-grossing Philippine films of all time.
Star Cinema, along with its subsidiaries and the now-defunct DWRR-FM, forms the Star Creatives Group, the main entertainment division of the media conglomerate ABS-CBN Corporation.
In 1985, the serial komiks by Nerissa Cabral, Hindi Nahahati ang Langit was adapted into a film and it stars Christopher de Leon, Lorna Tolentino, Edu Manzano, and Dina Bonnevie. The said film was directed by Mike de Leon.
In 1990, three films were released: Nagsimula sa Puso, Kapag Langit ang Humatol, and Bala at Rosaryo. The former two were adapted from radio dramas that were serialized via DZRH-AM, while the latter was adapted from a comics serial. In 1991, action thriller Ganti ng Api and crime thriller melodrama Kailan Ka Magiging Akin were released. Between 1992 and 1993, no films were produced as Vision Films was absorbed into Star Cinema.
The 1990s also saw the pioneering works of the company by integrating computer-generated images, special effects and makeup/prosthetic into some of its films like Patayin sa Sindak si Barbara (1995), Magic Temple (1996), Kokey (1997), Magandang Hatinggabi (1998), Hiling (1998), and Puso ng Pasko (1998) among others. Other notable works are live-action adaptations of popular Anime series like Sarah... Ang Munting Prinsesa (1995) and Cedie (1996), in turn, based on children's novels by English playwright and author Frances Hodgson Burnett, which incorporates stylish production designs and costumes and was shot abroad. From September 1997 to July 1999, former Viva Films executive Eric Cuatico Jr. briefly served as co-managing director of the studio alongside Santos.
Star Cinema also made a film adaptation of ABS-CBN's successful TV series like , released in 1996 and , , and are released in 1999. In 1997, 1998, and 2000, Star Cinema produced Goodbye America, Legacy, and Doomsdayer respectively under the banner of Star Pacific Cinema in an attempt to penetrate the Hollywood B-movie market. The 2000s has been the most successful time for Star Cinema in terms of box office gross. Most of the all-time highest-grossing films in the history of the Philippines are either produced or co-produced by Star Cinema as reported by Box Office Mojo. In 2002, Star Cinema together with Unitel Pictures released the Filipino-American film American Adobo with mixed reviews in the United States. In late 2007, Sky Films, a distribution company previously acquired by ABS-CBN in 2001, was merged with Star Cinema. In 2010, Star Cinema co-financed and released RPG Metanoia, the first 3D computer-animated Filipino film in history. In 2013, Star Cinema co-financed and released Erik Matti's On the Job with mixed to positive reviews abroad. Star Cinema films that were well received by critics in this period were Anak (2000), Tanging Yaman (2000), Bagong Buwan (2001), Dekada '70 (2002), Nasaan Ka Man (2005), Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo (2006), In My Life (2009) and On the Job (2013).
In 2008, its most expensive television production Lobo (known internationally as She Wolf) received the Banff World Media Festival for best telenovela program and earned Angel Locsin an International Emmy Awards nomination for performance by a female actor - the country's first overall acting nomination ever on the awards show. Sana Maulit Muli (2008) also gained a following in Taiwan when it was dubbed in Taiwanese Minnan. Kahit Isang Saglit (2008) became a finalist in the 37th International Emmy Awards. Its 2010 production Magkaribal became a finalist to the 2011 New York International Independent Film and Video Festival for best telenovela. Budoy (2011) is also a finalist to the 2013 New York Festivals International Television and Film Awards. Bridges of Love (2015) is the first Philippine telenovela to be released in Latin American countries including Peru. Soap operas produced by Star Creatives had been subtitled and dubbed to several languages including English, Spanish, Portuguese, Turkish, Khmer, Mandarin and French and most notably those that are targeted to Asia Pacific, Africa and Latin America. One of the programs dubbed in French is Kay Tagal Kang Hinintay which will cater to French-speaking audience in Africa and Europe. Star Cinema has also produced TV promos, spots and specials for the ABS-CBN network. In 2011, Star Cinema spent for the Philippine National Anthem video clip of ABS-CBN network.
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