From the streets and food culture of Tondo, Manila to the turquoise waters of Palawan, from Tagalog to the feared “manananggal,” Filipino culture, folklore and mythology takes center stage in DreamWorks Animation’s new film, “Forgotten Island.”
The film is inspired by the nearly two-decade friendship of veteran DreamWorks filmmakers Joel Crawford and Filipino-American director Januel Mercado, who previously worked together on “Kung Fu Panda 2” and the Oscar-nominated “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.”
H.E.R. voices Jo, while Liza Soberano plays Raissa, childhood best friends who are transported to the mysterious island of Nakali.
For Mercado, the film may be deeply Filipino, but its themes are universal.
“We hope people see this Filipino story and know that it’s not just for Filipinos. It’s very Filipino, but you could see how much we actually have in common. We love to eat, we love to party, we cherish memories. We’re actually the same. We’re all human,” Mercado told ABS-CBN News.
Filipino folklore goes global
The mythology in “Forgotten Island” came from stories close to the filmmakers. Crawford, whose wife is Filipina, recalled hearing about the mythological creature, the manananggal, from her childhood.
“I remember my wife would tell me stories when she grew up here that when she would think she heard the manananggal flying above with the wings. It just stuck with me. These stories aren’t shared with the world, and how exciting it would be to be able to tell a story based in this mythology,” Crawford said.
The Manananggal also became one of the film’s biggest technical challenges. More than 300 people worked on “Forgotten Island,” with Crawford revealing that the creature’s CG model became the most complex character model DreamWorks had created, partly because of its wings and body that separates in two.
Broadway icon Lea Salonga voices the Manananggal.
The filmmakers also traveled around the Philippines for visual inspiration.
For Mercado, Manila was personal. “My dad’s family is in Tondo, so to get kind of the street-food experience and the people. And then for the islands, we had an amazing trip, Palawan, El Nido. Just to see the beautiful, gorgeous rock formations and the blue-green of the Filipino water is unlike anything else,” Mercado said.
Crawford recalled being stunned by the landscape. “We were creating a fantasy world, but when we saw the Palawan area, we’re like, ‘This looks like a fantasy world. How do you top this?’” he said.
Mercado said they even told the art department, “You gotta be this color. You gotta be that blue, that green.”
For Mercado, authenticity also meant making sure Tagalog was heard in the movie.
“This is the language of our country,” he said, describing it as another layer of authenticity and a way of “giving voice to our characters and our culture.”
That resonated deeply with H.E.R., who grew up in a Filipino-American family with her Filipino mother and grandmother.
“The fact that it is based on Filipino folklore, I think, makes it extra special because these are the stories we grew up on. So the fact that we get to show that to the world is incredible. I feel like my worlds are colliding in the best way because we’re speaking Tagalog in the film. It’s just so joyful and it’s so Filipino. I’m also a huge DreamWorks fan, so it’s really a dream come true,” H.E.R. said.
For Soberano, “Forgotten Island” marks a full-circle moment and major milestone in her Hollywood journey.
She had just moved to the United States when she auditioned for the project.
Now, she is back in Manila promoting her first lead role in a US-based DreamWorks film.
“It’s such a surreal moment for me to be coming back home to share this project with the Filipino people. And also for this to be my first lead role in a US-based film and a DreamWorks film. I feel very blessed and honored just to be part of this project and very happy with where I’ve come so far,” Soberano said.
Soberano said she and H.E.R. had been holding on to the project for about a year.
“We’ve been beaming with pride and joy just to have something that really represents our culture and has a lot of elements that we grew up with that we get to feel a little bit nostalgic about. We’re really excited to just be able to share it with the rest of the world and especially the Filipino people,” she said.
For Crawford and Mercado, casting the right pair as Jo and Raissa was crucial.
“This story about friendship has to feel entirely real and authentic. Having H.E.R. and Liza, they just brought so much of themselves. It was above and beyond,” Crawford said.
Mercado said the chemistry was immediate. “That first time when they met each other, they hit it off. They were so loving with each other. Like, ‘Oh, thank goodness that they like each other, that they’re actually friends,’” he said.
H.E.R. also saw some of herself in Jo. “Jo is very type B and very chaotic, and a lot of people think that I’m pretty chill. But I also have that crazy child-like part of me that really gets brought out through Jo. That’s definitely me in real life,” she said.
Their Manila homecoming also meant plenty of Filipino food.
“I ate Filipino food everyday! I had tapsilog for breakfast. I had some ensaymada. We were making some halo-halo,” H.E.R. said.
Soberano, meanwhile, said she had been eating sinigang “everyday.”
“As if I don’t eat sinigang in L.A. But when I come back here, of course, it’s different when family cooks it for you. And Jollibee,” she joked.
Asked to complete the sentence, “I’m proud and I love being Filipino because…,”
H.E.R. answered: “Filipinos have the most beautiful heart.”
Soberano said: “Filipinos are the warmest people in the world and make any house feel like a home.”
Crawford said that warmth reminded him of the Filipino concept of “kapwa.”
“This feeling of kapwa is this community and looking out for each other. And that, honestly, is in every Filipino you meet. I hope this just invites people in to want to learn more,” he said.
For Mercado, he hopes the film reminds Filipinos that their stories deserve to be told.
“I want people to know how beautiful our culture is and how rich our stories are that connect to our roots and our history. I want them to know that you are seen and that your stories matter. Every song has been sung, but it hasn’t been sung in your voice.
"And we know that Filipinos have the best voices. Sing your stories,” Mercado said.
For H.E.R., the film’s very Filipino world still carries a universal emotional message.
“It is truly so specific but so universal. It’s such a special film that’s going to make you want to call your best friend and hug your best friend,” she said.
Soberano added: “When you watch 'Forgotten Island' in the cinema, please bring your best friend, your family. It’s always best shared with friends and family.”
Joining Soberano and H.E.R. in the film’s star-studded voice cast are Lea Salonga, Dolly de Leon, Jo Koy, Manny Jacinto, Amielynn Abellera, Dave Franco, Jenny Slate and Ronny Chieng.
“Forgotten Island” opens in Philippine cinemas on September 23.