‘Forgotten Island’ comes home

DreamWorks Animation’s Forgotten Island is making its way to the Philippines, and it is bringing much of its creative team along for the trip.

Liza Soberano and Grammy and Oscar-winning artist H.E.R., who lend their voices to best friends Jo and Raissa, will be joined by directors Januel Mercado and Joel Crawford and producer Mark Swift for a special Philippine visit on 25 August at the SM Mall of Asia main atrium at 7 p.m.

The Philippines will be the film’s first international stop, with the group scheduled to take part in screenings and events celebrating the Filipino influences woven into the animated feature.

The visit carries a personal significance for several members of the production. Soberano and H.E.R. will return to meet Filipino audiences, while Mercado, a Filipino American filmmaker, comes home to a country that helped inspire the film’s cultural world. Crawford also has close family ties to the Philippines through his wife and family, while Swift made multiple trips to the country during production to learn more about Filipino culture and traditions.

Set to open in Philippine cinemas on 23 September, Forgotten Island follows Jo and Raissa, two best friends on the verge of going their separate ways after high school. During their final night together, the pair encounters a mysterious portal that transports them to Nakali, a magical island filled with creatures drawn from Filipino mythology and folklore.