DreamWorks Animation has expanded its long-standing technology relationship with Lenovo, naming the company its preferred compute services, workstation, and solutions provider to power demanding production pipelines like the newly released feature Forgotten Island.
The technological collaboration brings together Lenovo workstations, high-performance computing infrastructure, data center technology, and services to support the massive digital requirements of modern feature animation. The expansion builds on years of shared work between the two companies, with Lenovo hardware continuing to run workflows across the studio and support large-scale computing tasks.
Directed by Academy Award nominees Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado and produced by Mark Swift—the filmmaking team behind Puss in Boots: The Last Wish—Forgotten Island marks the studio’s new original animated feature inspired directly by Filipino culture, mythology, and heritage.
The narrative focuses on lifelong best 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 unexpectedly transported to Nakali, a fantastical island populated by magical and mythological creatures rooted in traditional family lore.
The film features an ensemble voice cast, including 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.”
Key Production Highlights
- Hardware & Infrastructure: Comprehensive workstation setups and data center infrastructure designed to keep pace with complex artistic rendering and computational loads.
- Cultural Representation: A storytelling framework centered on Filipino folklore, family traditions, and the mythic island of Nakali.
- Creative Leadership: Led by the acclaimed creative team behind Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.
“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, 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.”
For tech leadership in the region, the feature represents a practical case study in how hardware environments can directly support narrative execution across global media channels.
“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.”
DreamWorks Animation’s Forgotten Island is currently showing in theaters nationwide.
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