Liza Soberano could not hide her excitement as Forgotten Island officially premiered worldwide. She also hoped that the film sparks pride among Filipinos around the world.
In an Instagram post, Liza looked back on the film’s world premiere, which was held at the George Lucas Museum of Narrative Art on September 24. The event also marked the first movie premiere ever held at the museum.
“My heart is sooooo full right now. 🥹,” she began. “Still can’t believe we got to be a little part of history. ✨”
Forgotten Island follows childhood best friends Raissa (Liza) and Jo (H.E.R.) as they find themselves on the mysterious island of Nakali.
The film is the first Filipino-centered movie from DreamWorks Animation and features local culture and traditions through animation.
“I’m so proud and excited that Forgotten Island is finally out in the world. It’s such a joyful, funny and heartfelt movie about family, friendship and finding the courage to chase something bigger for yourself. I’ve loved this film from the moment I became a part of it, and knowing that it finally belongs to audiences feels so surreal," she continued.
The actress then gave a special shoutout to the film’s creators, Januel Mercado and Joel Crawford, whom she thanked for bringing their passion, vision, and talent to the project, while describing them as “the heart of this film.”
She also expressed how grateful she was to fellow lead voice actress, H.E.R., adding that she "couldn’t have asked for a better bestie” to share the experience.
“Thank you @dreamworks for trusting a girl with big dreams from Quezon City, Manila to give life to Raissa 🥺❤️,” she added.
Liza said what makes the milestone even more meaningful to her is the chance for Filipino audiences, especially children, to see their culture represented in a major animated film.
“What makes this moment hit me the hardest is knowing what this film can mean for Filipinos around the world. Growing up, we didn’t get to see ourselves very often in films of this scale. Knowing that Filipino kids will get to walk into a theater, see pieces of their culture and families on the big screen, and recognize themselves in these characters means more to me than I can put into words."
“I hope this film makes us proud and helps create a future where the next generation grows up knowing that our stories belong everywhere — especially on the biggest screens in the world. 🇵🇭💗,” she continued. “FILIPINOS, THIS ONE’S OURS!!!"
For the special occasion, Liza wore a custom pink Filipiniana by Mark Bumgarner.
She attended the premiere with Forgotten Island creators Joel and Januel, as well as her fellow cast members H.E.R., Dave Franco, Dolly De Leon, Manny Jacinto, Ronny Chieng, Jenny Slate, and more.
Forgotten Island is now showing worldwide.