Cirio H. Santiago
Directing
Producer/director Cirio H. Santiago is the son of Dr. Ciriaco Santiago, who founded Premiere Productions in Manila in 1946. He has two siblings. After starting out as a producer he started directing english-language movies in the early 70s. Santiago became one of the pioneers of the "Blaxploitation" genre by being one of the first to cast black actors and especially actresses as strong action heroes. Movies like TNT Jackson (1974) became instant cult classics. In the 80s, Santiago became known for his numerous low-budget Vietnam war movies such as Firehawk (1993) which gave him a reputation as the "master of the Vietnam war genre". A long running production partnership with Roger Corman assured proper distribution of his movies in the USA. Many of today's hottest filmmakers such as Jonathan Demme, Joe Dante or Carl Franklin got their first directing jobs with Santiago. In 1995 he was named president of the Philippines Film Development Funds by President Ramos. The organization strives to uplift the quality of Filipino filmmaking to new, higher standards and to encourage production of foreign movies on location in the Philippines. Premiere Productions, headed by Cirio H. Santiago, still remains one of the biggest studios in the Philippines and went public in 1997.
Known for
Directing62
movieWater Wars
2014
Director
movieBloodfist 2050
2005
Director
movieOperation Balikatan
2003
Director
movieVulcan
1997
Director
movieUltimatum
1994
Director
movieOne Man Army
1994
Director
movieStranglehold
1994
Director
movieLive by the Fist
1993
Director
movieAngelfist
1993
Director
movieKill Zone
1993
Director
movieFirehawk
1993
Director
movieRaiders of the Sun
1992
Director
movieBeyond the Call of Duty
1992
Director
movieDune Warriors
1991
Director
movieField of Fire
1991
Director
movieSilk 2
1990
Director
movieLast Stand at Lang Mei
1989
Director
movieNam Angels
1989
Director
movieThe Expendables
1988
Director
movieKiller Instinct
1988
Director
movieEqualizer 2000
1988
Director
movieThe Sisterhood
1988
Director
movieFast Gun
1988
Director
movieDemon of Paradise
1987
Director
movieEye of the Eagle
1987
Director
movieThe Devastator
1986
Director
movieSilk
1986
Director
movieFuture Hunters
1986
Director
movieNaked Vengeance
1985
Director
movieWheels of Fire
1985
Director
movieFinal Mission
1984
Director
movieCaged Fury
1983
Director
movieStryker
1983
Director
movieFirecracker
1981
Director
movieDeath Force
1978
Director
movieVampire Hookers
1978
Director
movieDoble Kara
1978
Director
movieHell Hole
1978
Director
movieThe Muthers
1976
Director
movieEbony, Ivory & Jade
1976
Director
movieCover Girl Models
1975
Director
movieTNT Jackson
1974
Director
movieFe, Esperanza, Caridad
1974
Director
movieImpossible Dream
1973
Director
movieSavage!
1973
Director
movieFly Me
1973
Director
movieA Time for Dying
1970
Director
movieWanted: Johnny L
1966
Director
movieMasikip ang Daigdig
1962
Director
movieKonsiyerto ng Kamatayan
1961
Director
moviePagsapit ng Hatinggabi
1960
Director
Pusang Itim
1958
Director
movieLaban sa Lahat
1958
Director
moviePepeng Kaliwete
1958
Director
movieBicol Express
1957
Director
Production57
movieThe Hunt for Eagle One
2006
Co-Producer
movieBloodfist 2050
2005
Producer
movieCaptain Barbell
2003
Executive Producer
movieOperation Balikatan
2003
Producer
movieAma Namin
1998
Executive Producer
movieWild Grass
1997
Executive Producer
movieVulcan
1997
Producer
movieAngel of Destruction
1994
Producer
movieOne Man Army
1994
Producer
movieLive by the Fist
1993
Producer
movieAngelfist
1993
Producer
movieKill Zone
1993
Producer
movieTerror in Paradise
1993
Producer
movieFirehawk
1993
Producer
movieRaiders of the Sun
1992
Producer
movieBlackbelt
1992
Producer
movieBeyond the Call of Duty
1992
Producer
movieDune Warriors
1991
Producer
movieBloodfist II
1990
Line Producer
movieSilk 2
1990
Producer
movieBloodfist
1989
Line Producer
movieBlackbelt II: Fatal Force
1989
Executive Producer
movieEqualizer 2000
1988
Producer
movieThe Sisterhood
1988
Producer
movieDemon of Paradise
1987
Producer
movieThe Devastator
1986
Producer
movieSilk
1986
Producer, Associate Producer
movieNaked Vengeance
1985
Producer
movieWheels of Fire
1985
Producer
movieStryker
1983
Producer
movieFirecracker
1981
Executive Producer
movieUp from the Depths
1979
Producer
movieHell Hole
1978
Executive Producer
movieOnce a Moth
1976
Executive Producer
movieThe Muthers
1976
Producer
movieEbony, Ivory & Jade
1976
Producer
movieHustler Squad
1976
Producer
movieCover Girl Models
1975
Producer
movieTNT Jackson
1974
Producer
movieThe Big Bird Cage
1972
Producer
movieThe Hot Box
1972
Producer
movieWomen in Cages
1971
Producer
movieLollipops and Roses
1971
Producer
movieThe Big Doll House
1971
Producer
movie7 Gabi sa Hong Kong
1966
Producer
movieThe Blood Drinkers
1964
Producer
moviePitong Gabi sa Paris
1961
Producer
moviePepeng Kaliwete
1958
Producer
movieCavalry Command
1958
Producer
movieTokyo 1960
1957
Producer
Writing13
movieVulcan
1997
Story
movieDemon of Paradise
1987
Screenplay
movieSilk
1986
Story
movieFirecracker
1981
Story, Screenplay
movieDeath Force
1978
Story
movieHell Hole
1978
Screenplay
movieThe Muthers
1976
Writer
Ifugao
1954
Screenplay, Story