On September 25, DreamWorks Animation will release the animated fantasy adventure Forgotten Island in the United States, inspired by the culture, myths and folklore of the Philippines. The main characters are voiced by singer H.E.R. and Filipino-American actress Liza Soberano, The National reports.
Journey to Nakali Island
The film is set in the Philippines in the 1990s. Two friends, Jo and Raisa, who are finishing high school and preparing to go their separate ways, discover a mysterious portal on their final evening together. It transports them to the fantastical island of Nakali, inhabited by creatures from stories they heard in their Filipino families.
To return home, the girls must pay a high price: escaping the island could cost them their memories of their friendship. Jo and Raisa try to find another way before they forget each other.
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The film was written and directed by Joel Crawford and Filipino-American director Januel Mercado, who previously worked together on the Oscar-nominated animated film Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. According to Mercado, the character Jo was named after his sister Joanne, who became one of the women who inspired the project.
Mythical creatures and cast
Among the film’s characters is the manananggal, a creature of Filipino folklore traditionally depicted as a woman. The vampire-like creature can separate the upper part of its body, grow wings and fly at night in search of victims. The manananggal in the film is voiced by Filipino Broadway star Lea Salonga.
The cast also includes Manny Jacinto, Dolly de Leon, comedian Jo Koy, Dave Franco, Jenny Slate and Ronny Chieng. The soundtrack features H.E.R. and Soberano, as well as Filipino performers Bini and SB19. As of September 23, the film had 100% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes based on 28 reviews.
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