Mikhail Red’s ‘Lilim’ Leads Viva Films’ Horror Slate at Hong Kong FilMart (EXCLUSIVE)

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The Philippines‘ Viva Communications is set to unleash a wave of horror titles at Hong Kong FilMart, spearheaded by acclaimed filmmaker Mikhail Red‘s latest chiller “Lilim.”

“Lilim,” which premiered in the Philippines earlier this month, has a narrative set against the country’s turbulent 1970s and 1980s. It follows the harrowing journey of a sister and brother who seek sanctuary in a secluded orphanage during a period of social unrest. What begins as a refuge quickly descends into a nightmare as the siblings uncover dark cult practices and confront an ancient evil lurking beneath the surface. The cast includes Heaven Peralejo, Eula Valdez, Mon Confiado and Ryza Cenon.

“Viva Philippines will be launching several horror titles that will be released this year — one of which is ‘Mak Mak,’ which is a remake of the box office hit, ‘Pee Mak,’” said Vincent Del Rosario, president and COO of Viva Communications. “Local horror stories such as ‘Talim Island’ and ‘Rosario’ will also be featured.”

The film ‘Rosario,’ directed by Bobby Bonifacio Jr., revolves around a Filipino belief that a broken rosary should be given to the deceased. However, when an unbroken rosary is inadvertently left with a dead woman, it triggers a lethal family curse. Meanwhile, ‘Talim Island,’ directed by Roni Benaid, features the tagline: “The Cursed’s Blood.”

In simpler terms, “Rosario” and “Talim Island” are films that involve curses in Filipino and Middle Eastern settings respectively. In ‘Rosario’, leaving an unbroken rosary with a deceased person can lead to a dangerous family curse, while the tagline of ‘Talim Island’ suggests it is about the blood of someone who has been cursed.

The horror push is part of a broader content strategy for Viva. “Due to the success in our platforms, we will be showcasing as well our latest adult titles and our YA series, some of which are adaptation from Wattpad stories,” Del Rosario noted.

The company is actively seeking partnership opportunities as well. “Our IPs are available for remake and we are continuously in search of good IPs that we can do a local remake of as well,” said Del Rosario. “Viva Communications is open to co-production with other territories.”

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2025-03-17 02:53