Lenovo technology powers DreamWorks' Filipino-inspired Forgotten Island

Lenovo is supporting the production of DreamWorks Animation’s latest feature Forgotten Island, which brings Filipino culture, mythology and experiences to the global screen.

The film is part of DreamWorks’ production slate supported by a long-standing technology relationship with Lenovo, spanning workstations, high-performance computing infrastructure, data centre technology and services.

The collaboration expanded in 2025, when DreamWorks named Lenovo its preferred compute services, workstation and solutions provider. Lenovo said its technology has supported the studio’s workflows over several years, including high-performance workstations and infrastructure for the large-scale computing demands involved in creating animated characters and environments.

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Forgotten Island follows lifelong friends Jo and Raissa, voiced by Grammy and Academy Award winner H.E.R. and Filipino actress Liza Soberano. As the pair prepare to take separate paths after high school, they are transported to Nakali, a fantastical island populated by magical and mythological creatures rooted in stories from their Filipino families.

The film is written and directed by Academy Award nominee Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado, and produced by Academy Award nominee Mark Swift, the team behind Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. The voice cast also includes Dave Franco, Jenny Slate, Manny Jacinto, Dolly de Leon, Jo Koy, Ronny Chieng and Lea Salonga.

“Forgotten Island is particularly meaningful for us in the Philippines because it shows how a story deeply inspired by Filipino culture can connect with audiences on a global scale,” said Michael Ngan, president and general manager of Lenovo Philippines.

“At DreamWorks, there are countless creative decisions, ideas, and people working together. Our role at Lenovo is to provide technology that helps give those creators the performance and reliability they need so they can stay focused on what matters most - the story they want to tell.”

For DreamWorks, the technology infrastructure is intended to support the creative teams working across the production process.

“Every animated film begins with artists and storytellers, but bringing their ideas to the screen also requires a technology foundation capable of keeping pace with their imagination,” said Kate Swanborg, SVP, technology communications and strategic alliances at DreamWorks Animation.

“With Forgotten Island, we had the opportunity to build a vibrant world inspired by Filipino culture and mythology. Having technology partners like Lenovo supporting our production environment helps our teams focus on creating the characters, environments, and moments that make that world feel alive.”

The film places Filipino culture at the centre of its story, with Nakali bringing together creatures and stories drawn from Filipino families and folklore within an adventure exploring friendship, change and memory.

The project also illustrates the role technology can play behind creative work, supporting creators without becoming the focus of the story itself.

“Technology is at its best when it helps people turn imagination into something others can experience,” Ngan added. “Seeing Filipino-inspired stories represented on this scale is something worth celebrating, and we are proud that Lenovo technology is helping support the creators bringing those stories to audiences around the world.”

Forgotten Island is now showing in cinemas nationwide in the Philippines.

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