Filipino folklore reaches global audiences in new DreamWorks film

DreamWorks’ animated film Forgotten Island opened in the Philippines on Wednesday, bringing figures from Filipino folklore to a major international audience before its United States release on Friday. The film features mythological creatures including the manananggal, traditionally described as a being that can split its body in two, and the tiyanak, which takes the form of an infant. It has been described as the first major Hollywood production to showcase Filipino culture and mythology.

The film is co-directed by Filipino-American filmmakers Januel Mercado and Joel Crawford. Its cast includes Grammy-winning artist H.E.R., actress Liza Soberano and Tony Award winner Lea Salonga. For Filipinos in the diaspora, the film offers a rare opportunity to see familiar stories on a global screen.

Berlynn Tuazon-Bradshaw, who moved to the United States after university, said she was surprised to see stories from her childhood represented in a mainstream film. She said it could also help her young daughter remain connected to her Filipino roots. About 4.6 million people in the United States identify as Filipino, according to the 2023 US Census Bureau.

Filipino Americans are the country’s third-largest Asian-origin population after Indian and Chinese Americans. James Zarsadiaz, a University of San Francisco historian, said Filipino and Filipino-American culture had generally been confined to independent or digital spaces with niche audiences. Media scholars said the film’s significance also reflected histories of colonialism, migration and family separation.

They cautioned, however, that representation should extend beyond cultural symbols. Daphne-Tatiana Canlas of the University of the Philippines Diliman said audiences wanted media to examine the historical forces shaping Filipino communities. Hollywood’s attention is also linked to the purchasing power of Asian audiences and the industry’s wider focus on Asian markets.