artph Animation
The Lovers
The Lovers is an independent animated feature that tells the story of Sara Baylon (voiced by Vanille Velasquez — Valorant, League of Legends), a reluctant seafood chef from Binondo, Manila. As the youngest in her family, Sara struggles under the weight of her late father’s legacy and the responsibility of keeping their restaurant alive. When the governor’s inauguration dinner is set to take place there — with a Sirena (voiced by Dawn M. Bennett — Fire Emblem, Honkai: Star Rail, My Hero Academia) as the evening’s centerpiece — Sara is drawn into a perilous entanglement with the mythical creature.
Completed in 2026, The Lovers earned Gold at the Fantasia Audience Awards and was showcased at Annecy and HollyShorts before premiering worldwide on YouTube. The film is freely available online, with monetization disabled to ensure a seamless viewing experience.
“The Lovers,” a yuri Filipino mermaid animation, first caught my attention in 2023 near the end of the pandemic. The trailer was striking: a young female chef named Sara poised to slaughter Sirena (mermaid) an image that immediately stood out. I was pleasantly surprised to learn it was a Filipino production. I hadn’t heard of Studio Heartbreak locally and initially assumed it was made overseas.
The film generated a lot of buzz because it combines two elements not often seen together in mainstream animation: yuri (a romantic relationship between women) and graphic gore. That contrast, romantic themes with visceral, violent imagery, made people curious and sparked conversation online and in niche communities. The Kickstarter’s success showed there was real audience interest and financial backing for a project that took those risks. Beyond the shock value, the attention the trailer received suggests a growing appetite for diverse, bold stories in animation and more room for Filipino creators on the international stage. For a small studio, pulling off a successful crowdfunding campaign also proves there’s support for locally rooted projects that don’t follow conventional expectations.
After about four years of production, Studio Heartbreak finally released “The Lovers” on August 30, 2026, notably without a subtitle. This timing is especially fitting because August is the month when the Philippines celebrates “Linggo ng Wika” or Filipino Language Week, a period dedicated to promoting and honoring the Filipino language and culture. The release of this much-anticipated animated short online marks an important moment for both the studio and its audience. The long wait has built up excitement among fans and supporters, eager to see how the film will turn out. You can watch the shortfilm below.
WATCH THE LOVERS (It’s free!)
My Thoughts on the Animation
Setting aside the cultural aspect of the animation, its atmosphere is truly gorgeous. It transports you to an otherworldly part of Binondo. Kudos to the background artists who poured so much love into every scene; you can feel how deeply the team invested their hearts in bringing this world to life. My favorite part of the film is the montage, which captures Sara’s internal conflict as she struggles between fulfilling her filial duties and her love for the captured mermaid. For a 15-minute animation, it is understandable that there’s not enough time to build up the relationship between the two characters. I like that they took a risk in keeping the Sirena’s breasts largely visible and did not hold back in depicting the violence and gore. Unlike most indie shorts that I have seen, it usually ends on a tragic note. “The Lovers” had a good ending, something that feels satisfying to watch. I couldn’t help but wonder if the film serves as a metaphor for Sara’s journey toward self-discovery and personal choice, highlighting her decision to pursue what she truly wants for herself rather than simply trying to meet her family’s expectations. The Sirena symbolizes Sara’s personal desires, while her family embodies the expectations of society. All the Kickstarter backers for “The Lovers”, thank you guys for believing in this project so that we all get to watch this.
Mixed Reactions
The reaction upon its release garnered mixed opinions from viewers. One of the most prominent criticisms was that it was not considered Filipino enough, ranging from the accents of the voice actors to the lack of gore, perceived inaccuracies, and more. I think this was expected, given that the film was touted as an animation set in the Philippines despite some noticeable inconsistencies. For instance, Binondo is known as the Philippines’ Chinatown, yet Sara does not appear Chinoy. The Baybayin signage looks somewhat off when placed alongside Hanzi characters. Governors typically serve in provinces, so it felt like a missed opportunity not to feature a mayor or even the President, especially since the Malacañang Palace is located nearby.
There were also viewers who enjoy gore and felt underwhelmed after discovering that the film was actually more wholesome than the dark fantasy they had been hoping for. What is not acceptable, however, are those who dismiss and disparage the hard work of the animators simply because they want to hate.
End Notes
It’s a good start for Studio Heartbreak to release this passion project. If they want to create more Filipino-themed work, it would be helpful for them to set up a base in the Philippines. This would allow them to work directly with cultural workers like historians, artists, and storytellers. The Philippines has many myths and legends that are still not widely known. Stories about heroes, gods, and mythical creatures like the aswang, tikbalang, and kapre offer a lot of material to explore. These stories come from different regions and ethnic groups, giving a wide range of ideas for new projects. By being in the Philippines and working with local experts, Studio Heartbreak can make their stories more accurate and meaningful. It would also help preserve Filipino culture and share it with a wider audience. Then again, if they chose to pivot to a different lore, I’ll be on the lookout for it.
