LOOK: Angelica Panganiban stars in first Filipino adult-animation Netflix original

Actors Angelica Panganiban, Sam Milby, and Robin Padilla star in the first adult-animation film from the Philippines to stream on Netflix, Hayop Ka! The Nimfa Dimaano Story.

Netflix released on Monday, September 21, the first look for the film, which will premiere on October 29.

The film is directed by Avid Liongoren, and written by Manny Angeles and Paulle Olivenza. It’s executive produced by actor Piolo Pascual, who also voices a character in the movie.

Empoy Marquez, Arci Muñoz, Eugene Domingo, Yeng Constantino, Moira dela Torre, and Bb Joyce Bernal also star in Hayop Ka!

The animated film will be available across Asia in Taglish and English as You Animal! According to Netflix, the movie “is a refreshing look at societal expectations, personal aspirations and the classic love triangle.”

Angelica plays the titular Nimfa Dimaano, a “sales kitty” at a department store. She has a boyfriend, Roger (Robin Padilla), who works as a janitor. She then meets Iñigo Villanueva (Sam Milby), a “bourgeoisie business dog” with whom she shares an attraction.

Avid said the film took over 3 years to develop. While it’s the first animated movie from the Philippines on Netflix, Avid certainly hopes it won’t be the last.

“While our main goal is to elicit a few laughs, our advocacy is to encourage local animation production. In the global animation industry, the Philippines is a go-to nation for outsourcing animation services. We are home to thousands of talented animators but sadly, we are not known for ideating and producing our own work,” Avid said.

“There have been less than 10 animated feature films in the entire 100-year history of Philippine cinema, and we want to continue adding to that, while also hoping that little by little, someday Filipino animators can be known as not just service providers, but creators as well,” added the director. – Rappler.com