With the public steadily finding their way back into cinemas again, the film industry is more alive than it has ever been in years. This month marks another milestone with the release of the country’s first ever (Artificial Intelligence) AI-assisted Filipino full length animal musical Plump Blossom under Kapitana Media Entertainment president Rossana Hwang.
In an exclusive interview with PUSH ABS-CBN, the producer shared the story behind their latest film which revolves around the life of the main character called Princess Ruo Hua and the challenges she faces because of her physique.
“For a long time, I had been fascinated by China’s Tang Dynasty, often described as a golden age of Chinese culture. I was particularly intrigued by its beauty ideals—how a fuller figure could be associated with beauty, prosperity, and status, especially among the nobility. At the same time, I have always loved princess stories and animation.
“Years ago, through my business, I handled Disney Princess-licensed notebooks. We would attend Disney presentations in California and Hong Kong, and I remember sitting there in awe as they presented their princesses, characters and stories. Those were the days! I never imagined that one day I would create a princess of my own. Then I had my eureka moment: why not bring these two fascinations together? What if I created a plump princess inspired by the Tang era—a princess who loves to eat, who is considered beautiful in her own world, and whose story could become an animated musical in the tradition of the princess movies I had always loved? That was how Plump Blossom was born,” she said.
Although she is not new to filmmaking, Rossana admitted she has never imagined to attempt making a full-length animated musical before.
“It was much more ambitious than anything I had done before. But new AI-assisted tools made me realize that an independent Filipino filmmaker could now attempt something that, not very long ago, would have required the resources of a major animation studio. So I thought: Why not try?” she added.
With the controversy surrounding the use of AI in the entertainment industry still up for debate, Rossana hopes moviegoers can give Plump Blossom a chance in the big screen before passing judgment.
“AI allowed me to make an animated feature on a scale that would have been very difficult and expensive for an independent filmmaker. But AI doesn't make the movie for you. There was still a lot of trial and error, clean-up, visual effects, and editing. The story, direction, dialogue, singing and performances are human. I look at AI as another tool. It’s like when photography became digital, or when filmmakers stopped physically cutting film and started editing on computers. The tools changed, but you still need the human being making the creative decisions.
“AI is also giving filmmakers new ways to create and tell stories. But you still need the human being behind it—the ideas, the choices and the storytelling. I knew declaring it AI-assisted might invite skepticism, but I wanted to be transparent about how we made it. In the end, I hope audiences simply watch Plump Blossom as a movie. If they laugh, enjoy the songs and care about the characters, then we've done our job,” she explained.
The talented cast of voice actors include trilingual host Candice Tan as Princess Ruo Hua, former MTV Philippines VJ Don Puno as General Jian, book author Gutch Gutierrez as Chef Bao, church pastor Chad Williams as General Feathers, content creator and chef Thunderson Tan as Wen the Chef’s Assistant, church pastor Yeng Her as Yuan Yuan the Pekingese pet of Princess Ruo Hua, and actor and singer Audie Gemora as the Emperor.
The Plump Blossom producer admitted that casting was a mixed process for her and her team.
“Some of the voice actors I personally knew. For others, we held auditions, and we also had a jury who helped me choose. What really surprised me was how versatile voice actors can be—one person can create several completely different voices! Sometimes I couldn't believe it was the same person. I never imagined when I started this project that I would gather this kind of talent. Of course, some scenes and songs had to be done over and over again until we got the emotion and timing just right. I can be quite particular because these characters have lived in my head for so long. In the end, I wasn't looking only for well-known names. I was looking for the right voice for each character,” she revealed.
Aside from enjoying the inspiring storyline and animation, Rossana hopes that people will also learn life lessons from the film, including, “Doing what is right sometimes calls for putting others before oneself, learning that one act of kindness can change more than one life, that no matter a person’s body size or shape, it is what lies within that captures the heart, and that loyalty to friends and allies should not determine which side we take. What matters is doing what is right—for the greater good and for our country. And many more!”
Plump Blossom The Movie is now showing in selected cinemas nationwide.