Filipinos have always played a major part in animation. Whether it be cartoons or anime, Filipino artists and animators have and continue to serve as a contributing force. But more and more, we are seeing homegrown projects finally take center stage; such is the case with the short movie The Lovers. Made by independent animation production company Studio Heartbreak, the film takes the classic tale of a human falling in love with a mermaid and gives it a Filipino, sapphic twist. It makes for a romantic thriller where dystopian fantasy meets an LGBTQIA+ love story.
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The Lovers: When a Seafood Chef Meets a Mermaid
Set in Binondo, Manila, The Lovers tells the story of Sara Lim Baylon, a seafood chef who left college to work at Lidgat, her family’s restaurant. With a legacy to uphold, Sara is struggling to meet her family’s expectations, especially those tied to her late father’s reputation. One day, the governor calls and requests to have an inauguration dinner at her family’s restaurant. The catch? She wants a sirena prepared as the centerpiece for the meal. Sirena, though, changes Sara’s life as she finds herself drawn to the mythological creature.
What follows is a sapphic enemies-to-lovers horror story about how the two develop feelings for one another despite their initial tension and animosity. At 15 minutes long, The Lovers makes a strong impression thanks to its blend of 2D and 3D animation, varied art style, body horror, and take on generational trauma many Filipinos can relate to.
Notably, the short film is entirely in Tagalog, with Filipino voice actors bringing the two leads to life. Vanille Velasquez, who you may know for voicing Neon in Valorant, the game’s first Filipina agent, and Zeri in League of Legends, voices Sara, while Dawn M. Bennett, whose resume includes roles in Fire Emblem, Honkai: Star Rail, and My Hero Academia, voices Sirena.
While the story of a human and mermaid falling in love is nothing new, The Lovers changes things with its setting and the queer relationship at its center. Basically, it’s human x mermaid, or more accurately sushi chef x mermaid, but make it Filipino yuri. It’s almost like the dynamic between Sara and Sirena is that of a young woman dating an older woman, which leads Sara coming to an epiphany about her own life. Sirena doesn’t want to be eaten while Sara feels suffocated by her family, and it’s in their burgeoning love that the two somehow find a way out of their predicament.
Philippine Animation Gets the Spotlight
If The Lovers sounds familiar, that’s because it’s been in the public spotlight for years. Studio Heartbreak is based in the Philippines but has team members all over the world who have worked on several projects such as Attack on Titan, Legend of Pipi, Chiaki’s Journey, and Boruto. The Lovers, though, marks the studio’s debut original short feature. In 2023, they released the debut trailer to widespread virality and attention on social media, leading it to be highly anticipated by many animation fans.
Along with its public introduction was the launch of its Kickstarter campaign, which aimed to raise $60,000. In the end, it raised $410,205, which not only allowed the studio to fully fund the short movie, but also retroactively pay their staff.
In lieu of any major company backing, Studio Heartbreak has relied on social media to promote and drum up excitement for the short, as well as build an online community of fans and fellow independent animators. This was a from-the-ground project made by a Philippines-based studio and began with a handful of untrained staff in their teens and early twenties. Yet, it beat the odds to get many excited for a Filipina wlw horror fantasy animated short, and that’s an achievement in itself.
The Lovers has been in development for four years, with 2026 serving as the film’s long-awaited release. It made its world premiere at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival and its North American premiere at Fantasia International Film Festival, the latter of which awarded The Lovers the 2026 Gold Audience Award for Best Animated Short, before it was released for free on YouTube on August 29.
As for whether a sequel or more stories set in the same universe have been greenlit, Studio Heartbreak hasn’t said. What they are working on are the official ENG, BR-PT, UKR, and LATAM-ES dubs, a mini podcast exclusive for Kickstarter backers, a short making-of documentary, and potentially a graphic novel from Sirena’s perspective down the line. Also in the pipeline is an original 2D/3D adult animated sci-fi web series about “VTubers, androids, and biotech startups that play god.”
Get to know more about Studio Heartbreak by checking out their website, and you can watch The Lovers on their YouTube channel.
Featured Image and Photos: STUDIO HEARTBREAK (via Website)
Frequently Asked Questions
The Lovers is a 15-minute Filipino animated short film about Sara Lim Baylon, a seafood chef in Binondo, Manila, who develops feelings for Sirena, a mermaid she’s asked to prepare for a governor’s dinner, told as a sapphic enemies-to-lovers horror story.
The Lovers was made by Studio Heartbreak, an independent Philippines-based animation studio whose team has worked on projects including Attack on Titan, Boruto, and Chiaki’s Journey. It marks the studio’s debut original short film.
Studio Heartbreak’s Kickstarter campaign for The Lovers aimed to raise $60,000 but ultimately raised $410,205, fully funding the short and allowing the studio to retroactively pay its staff.
The Lovers was released for free on Studio Heartbreak’s YouTube channel on August 29, 2026, following its world premiere at Annecy International Animation Film Festival and North American premiere at Fantasia International Film Festival.
Vanille Velasquez, known for voicing Neon in Valorant and Zeri in League of Legends, voices Sara, while Dawn M. Bennett, known for roles in Fire Emblem and Honkai: Star Rail, voices Sirena. The film is entirely in Tagalog.
