The cast and filmmakers of DreamWorks Animation’s ‘Forgotten Island’ are saying, ‘Tayo Na, Philippines!’
Lead voice cast Liza Soberano and H.E.R., directors Januel Mercado and Joel Crawford, and producer Mark Swift will visit the Philippines on August 25 for a special celebration of ‘Forgotten Island’ and the culture at the heart of the film.
As the first international destination to welcome the cast and filmmakers, the Philippines will host a series of special events and screenings, giving local audiences the opportunity to experience the film alongside the creative team behind it.
The ‘Tayo Na, Philippines!’ visit is also a meaningful homecoming for members of the cast and filmmaking team. Liza Soberano and H.E.R. return to celebrate the film with local audiences, joined by Filipino-American director Januel Mercado and director Joel Crawford, whose wife and family are Filipino. Producer Mark Swift also made several trips to the Philippines during the film’s development, immersing himself in the country’s culture as the filmmakers brought its Filipino-inspired world to life.
Fans can join the celebration when the cast and filmmakers visit the ‘Tayo Na, Philippines!’ Forgotten Island event at the SM Mall of Asia Main Atrium on August 25 at 7 pm.
DreamWorks Animation, the studio that brought unforgettable bonds between a boy and a dragon in ‘How to Train Your Dragon,’ an ogre and a donkey in Shrek, and a robot and a gosling in ‘The Wild Robot,’ now welcomes a dazzling and emotional story about two lifelong best friends who must come together before they drift apart in ‘Forgotten Island.’
The new original film is written and directed by Academy Award® nominee Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado and is produced by Academy Award® nominee Mark Swift, the filmmaking team behind ‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.’
Grammy and Academy Award® winning supernova H.E.R. and Liza Soberano (Lisa Frankenstein, Alone/Together) star as high school graduates Jo and Raissa, who have been best friends since grade school but are now about to embark on separate life paths. While celebrating their last night together, Jo and Raissa stumble upon a mysterious portal that transports them to the fantastical island of Nakali, packed with magical and mythological creatures they grew up hearing stories about from their Filipino families.
Some of these figures will become friends, some foes. Joined by well-meaning-but- hapless weredog Raww (Dave Franco) and a small-but-mighty pack of pals, Jo and Raissa must face The Dreaded Manananggal (Tony winning icon Lea Salonga), the most feared creature on the island. When they discover that the memories of their entire friendship are the price for returning home, Jo and Raissa will race to find a way to leave the island before they forget each other forever.
The film’s all-star voice cast also includes Emmy nominee Jenny Slate (Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, Dying for Sex), Manny Jacinto (The Good Place, Top Gun: Maverick), BAFTA nominee Dolly de Leon (Triangle of Sadness, Ghostlight), global comedy superstar Jo Koy (Haunted Mansion, Jo Koy: Live from Brooklyn) and Emmy winner Ronny Chieng (The Daily Show, M3GAN).
Take a trip to ‘Forgotten Island,’ arriving in Philippine cinemas on September 23.