Forgotten Island Directors Talk Bringing Philippines Traditions to Life and Why Animation is Universal

Directors Januel Mercado and Joel Crawford discuss Filipino mythology, personal childhood memories, surprising movie inspirations and why animation is for everyone.

Forgotten Island was, for many, an amazing theatrical experience that truly represented the Philippines, both visually and culturally. A mythically daring animated feature, Forgotten Island was one of those DreamWorks films that had a special touch to it. It might have been the charming and sweet sisterhood formed by Jo and Raissa, the film’s two leading characters, the wild adventure they had, or the struggle at the core of this film.

Nonetheless, all of these narrative and visual elements made Forgotten Island stand out. Now, that film is making its way digitally so that new audiences can experience the joys of childhood and growing up. However, for directors Januel Mercado and Joel Crawford, this journey has been one to remember.

Ahead of the film’s digital release, I caught up with Mercado and Crawford to discuss what made Forgotten Island incredibly unique. From how it approaches the cultural traditions of the Philippines to how it uplifts those special aesthetics, Mercado and Crawford’s film will really excite audiences who hope to see it sooner than later. You can watch the full conversation below!

Forgotten Island Directors React to Emotional Audience Responses

For Mercado and Crawford, the path to Forgotten Island‘s release was one of high anticipation. Months ago, the rough cut for the film was presented to CinemaCon attendees, which received massive praise. Since then, the excitement around Forgotten Island grew bigger, but the reaction from the Philippines was even louder.

Mercado and Crawford reflected on that year-long journey to finally get their highly anticipated film to audiences, both domestic and international.

“It’s been pretty amazing, especially seeing a lot of reactions from the Filipino community, just people in theater crying and as early as five minutes into the movie, and then at the end seeing just them bawling,” says Januel Mercado, one of the film’s directors.

“That’s been pretty emotional even for us, just seeing the connection that people have with our movie. It’s very personal and it’s a love letter, not only to culture, but our friends and families and for people to feel the same way where we feel this is a piece of art that is also for them, for their families, for their friends.”

“It’s been even more beautiful to feel audiences who knew nothing about Filipino culture mythology to be the ones seeing and really embracing the movie and connecting to it and wanting to learn more,” says Crawford. “Even with my teenage daughters — their friends were over the house the other day and they were telling Kaylee, ‘Let’s go,’ and one of them goes, ‘Tayo na!'”

How Filipino Childhood Memories Inspired Forgotten Island

Despite all the fun of Jo and Raissa’s ventures, the real-world sequences of Forgotten Island made viewers easily fall in love with these two characters. Much of the film was inspired by Mercado and Crawford’s real-life friendship and most of those sequences reflected the directors’ own memories. Raissa’s graduation party was a particular one that Mercado and Crawford pulled inspiration for the most.

“I think I was turning 10 or 11 in the Philippines on one of my summer vacations there,” Mercado recalled. “A lot of that feeling and the aesthetics of that party that you see in the movie were taken from that birthday party.”

“I had a photo album that I shared with Joel [Crawford] and our production designer, Ryan Carlson and our [art] director, Chris Grun. It was like they were tapping into literally and pulling into that specific time in my life that was perfect for that scene in the movie again with the era and the feel of the ’90s.”

How The Hangover Inspired Forgotten Island’s Wildest Scenes

The directors are candid about their cinematic influences — Mercado and Crawford previously stated that edgier films, like The Hangover and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, inspired some things in Forgotten Island. Mercado and Crawford shared what specific scenes were inspired from specific moments in those films.

“We always said this is kind of The Hangover for families. It’s appropriate for everybody, but it’s that fun, edgy, craziness,” says Joel Crawford. The nods are deliberate: “There’s multiple moments of, I think Jo or Raissa waking up with the missing hair and Ed Helms waking up with certain things on his face, the tattoo.”

Januel Mercado picks up the thread: “That shot too of when you see Jo, before she wakes up, she’s passed out and you see the Saraimanok walking. There’s a Hangover shot of Ed Helms in a similar position, passed out on the floor with the chicken or rooster walking behind him.”

And then there’s Mermahn, voiced by Kevin McCann, who scared viewers in his very first scene. “In The Hangover, there’s someone who jumps out of a trunk of a car,” Joel Crawford says. “And in this movie, there’s dry Mermahn who lurches out —” Januel Mercado finishes the thought: “In a Mr. Chow-like fashion.”

Why Animation Should Be for More Than Just Kids

With Forgotten Island arriving alongside a wave of ambitious animated features, the directors are thinking about what this moment means for the medium. Notably, there’s been a lot of online talk on whether animated features are for a specific audience. Crawford and Mercado shared their thoughts on the long-standing debate.

“I think internationally, the audiences are a lot more open to animation, not just being seen as just for kids,” says Crawford. “There’s so much beautiful animation that’s for kids, but there’s also so many stories to tell and so many different ways to tell those stories if we just allow ourselves to be open to — the media.”

“It’s the same as if you’re going to an Avengers movie, like a Marvel movie, you see younger audiences there. We’re actually just trying to embrace the audience at what they already want.”

Mercado frames it as a call to other filmmakers: “We just know with our own storytelling voices, we are inspired and encourage other filmmakers to share their voices as well.” He points to the recently-released Wildwood, In Waves, and Brad Bird’s Ray Gunn as examples of animation expanding in every direction. “All so different, but all unique voices and very true and authentic and amazing worlds that they invite you into.”

“There’s a diversity there that we want to keep seeing in movies that, again, exist outside of the normal, what is a kid’s animated movie that you’re expecting that is always falling in line with those expectations.”

Forgotten Island is available to buy on October 27 on streaming platforms including Apple TV, Prime Video, and Fandango at Home. 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD editions will arrive on December 1.

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