DreamWorks’ Filipino folklore film opens September 25

DreamWorks Animation’s Forgotten Island, an animated adventure rooted in Filipino folklore, is scheduled to open in U.S. theaters on September 25, with community groups organizing screenings and encouraging audiences to attend. The film follows best friends Jo and Raissa as they enter the magical world of Nakali on the eve of Raissa’s planned move from the Philippines to study in the United States. Voiced by H.E.R. and Liza Soberano, the friends encounter supernatural beings drawn from Filipino mythology while trying to find their way home. The story places their friendship and the prospect of separation at its center, alongside its fantastical adventure. The film is set in the Philippines in the 1990s and features creatures including the Manananggal, Batibat, Tiyanak and Duwende. The production was co-directed by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado. Its ensemble voice cast includes Lea Salonga, Dave Franco, Manny Jacinto, Dolly de Leon, Jo Koy and Ronny Chieng. The animation combines 2D and 3D styles, and Manila-based Snipple Animation is identified as part of the production. H.E.R. said her mother’s childhood stories about the Manananggal helped make the creature familiar to her.