Hayop Ka! The Nimfa Dimaano StoryĀ is now streaming and currently trending on Netflix. It’s the first Filipino adult-animation feature (adults only, purrlease!) and stars Angelica Panganiban as the titular Nimfa Dimaano, a sales kitty. Nimfa has a mongrel boyfriend (yes, a cat and a dog are an item in the world of Animanila) but suddenly finds herself falling head over heels (paws?) for a business dog she meets while selling perfume in a department store.
The raunchy, hilariously funny (and punny) animated film is directed byĀ Avid Liongoren, the filmmaker behind Saving Sally, the 2016 MMFF entry that is also streaming on Netflix. We chat with the director as he shares about creating Hayop Ka, casting voice actors for the film, and more.
Inspired by true events ba ang Hayop Ka?
Avid Liongoren: Inspired by radio dramas, at tsaka ang pinaka main inspiration actuallyā¦ Alam mo pag sumasakay ka ng taxi at 11pm tapos may radio? Yung mga tao na tatawag sa radyo para ikwento yung mga problema nila in life? Tapos papagalitan lang sila ng DJ? ‘Yon, yun yung pinaka inspiration niya. The film, ang pinaka-climax niya is dahil sa daming problema sa buhay ni Nimfa, napatawag na siya sa radyo at pinagalitan lang siya ng DJ. Yun yung pinaka inspiration niya.
How long did it take to make this movie, and what were the factors involved?
Production took three years, but if you include the writing and failing in securing money, that’d be four years. [laughs] The first time we had a screenplay, we joined this festival grant where we proposed the film, and we were a semi-finalist. And we were presenting to a bunch of smart people, smart academic people. Natuwa sila dahil doon sa concept, and I showed them a teaser. So they were onboard until they asked us, “So what is your statement? And what is your advocacy?” So naloka kami! Gusto lang namin magpatawa? So it took another year to get our act together, na, okay, hanapan natin kung para saan itong pelikulang ‘to. So that’s the three years na steady production na siya.
