Support for ‘Hayop Ka!’ pushed despite call for boycott over Robin Padilla’s casting
Robin Padilla and Angelica Panganiban star as Roger (left) and Nimfa in “Hayop Ka! The Nimfa Dimaano Story”. Image: screengrab from YouTube/rocketsheep studio
Netizens are calling on the public to still support the upcoming premiere of the first animated Filipino film on Netflix despite the backlash it has been receiving over the involvement of Robin Padilla.
The actor and the film, titled “Hayop Ka! The Nimfa Dimaano Story”, went trending on Twitter yesterday, Sept. 21, following the streaming service’s announcement of the said movie’s Oct. 29 premiere.
Here’s something to start your Monday right: the *first* animated Netflix Film from the Philippines is arriving next month!!! 😱🤩 “Hayop Ka! The Nimfa Dimaano Story” is coming October 29 🙌 #HayopKa
由 Netflix 發佈於 2020年9月20日 星期日
Some netizens are calling to boycott the film because one character is voiced by Padilla, President Rodrigo Duterte’s staunch supporter, who has been receiving backlash over his controversial remarks, most recently on the Manila Bay “white sand” project.
Others, however, are urging the public to still support the film, for the sake of all the Filipino animators and filmmakers who worked on the project.
“PLEASE DO NOT BOYCOTT “HAYOP KA”!! [I’m] aware that [Robin Padilla] is very disliked and has sh*tty opinions but please also consider how the [Philippines] is terrible towards artists and animators and that this is a HUGE STEP for us aspiring creatives!!! SUPPORT THE LOCAL ARTISTS!” Twitter user @nebulastrokes said, a sentiment that was retweeted over 2,700 times since yesterday.
Another netizen with the handle @lou_quorice echoed the same opinion, tweeting yesterday, “[I’m] annoyed that [Robin Padilla] was cast as a VA for ‘Hayop Ka!’ too, but [it’s] not like the film was made around him. [Let’s] give due credit to our local animators.”
“[Our] animation industry only has a small support system for now & yet were being divisive over this one irrelevant bigot,” the netizen added.
im annoyed that robin padilla was cast as a VA for Hayop Ka! too, but its not like the film was made around him. let's give due credit to our local animators.
our animation industry only has a small support system for now & yet were being divisive over this one irrelevant bigot
— lou || COMMS OPEN (batch 1 FULL) ✊🍰🏳️🌈 (@lou_quorice) September 21, 2020
“[I’m] conflicted. The people behind Hayop Ka worked really hard for the film, and knowing how damn hard it is to push for animated movies in the PH, I really wanna go see it. I don’t, however, wanna support Robin Padilla,” Twitter user @s0rbetero meanwhile said.
In the following tweet, however, he noted that watching the film to support those behind it is the “greater good,” instead of just boycotting the film.
Im conflicted. The people behind Hayop Ka worked really hard for the film, and knowing how damn hard it is to push for animated movies in the PH, I really wanna go see it. I don't, however, wanna support Robin Padilla
— Flynn Driver (@s0rbetero) September 21, 2020
Others have even set up a petition via Change.org to recast Padilla in the film, noting that many are refusing to support it because of the actor and that it is “putting all of the hard work of [director Avid Liongoren] and his team to waste.”
“Please sign this petition! It’s to recast Robin Padilla from the animated Netflix film: ‘Hayop Ka’,” Twitter user @jjonggiggle said. “Robin Padilla is a known DDS (diehard Duterte supporter) and is causing so many people to not support the film. RECAST HIM!”
Please sign this petition! It's to recast Robin Padilla from the animated Netflix film: "Hayop Ka"
Robin Padilla is a known DDS and is causing so many people to not support the film. RECAST HIM! https://t.co/xWTySAuEXw
— 💧✜ᜋᜎᜌ ⧗ IN生|| 📌!! || school || Seungmin Day! (@jjonggiggle) September 21, 2020
Besides Padilla, “Hayop Ka! The Nimfa Dimaano Story” stars Angelica Panganiban, Sam Milby, Empoy Marquez, Piolo Pascual, Arci Muñoz, Eugene Domingo, Yeng Constantino, Moira dela Torre and Joyce Bernal.
Rocketsheep Studio, which animated and produced the film alongside Spring Films, described it as “the first Filipino animated film for adults” on its trailer uploaded in September 2019 on YouTube.
Also under Rocketsheep Studio’s belt is the 2016 semi-animated film “Saving Sally” and “Zsazsa Zaturnah”, an animated film based on the beloved Filipino comics character of the same name. JB
RELATED STORIES:
Angelica Panganiban on endorsing Duterte in 2016: ‘Patawarin niyo ko’
Erika Rae Poturnak warns fans of poser on Facebook
WATCH: Maja Salvador throws ‘street food party’ as she hits 1 million subscribers on YouTube
