Hey, cinephiles! Get your screens ready as the critically acclaimed Filipino-Ilocano animated film “Iti Mapukpukaw” will debut on Netflix this February. In an official Facebook post, the streaming giant announced that the “genre-bending” film is set to arrive on its platform on Feb. 24.
“Iti Mapukpukaw,” which translates to “The Missing,” is an award-winning movie directed by Carl Joseph Papa.
Starring Carlo Aquino, Gio Gahol, and Dolly de Leon, the film’s story follows Eric, a Filipino animator who does not have a mouth. His life went on twists and turns after the death of his uncle and when he got “abducted” by an alien. Both incidents triggered him to recall his past and untangle his memories.
The film also touches on what most people deem to be sensitive subjects like sexual abuse and dissociative episodes. Watch the full trailer below:
The animated film bagged the Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival 2023’s Best Film in the full-length feature category. It also served as the Philippines’ official entry to the Academy Awards for Best International Feature this year but failed to be included in the shortlisted films.
Following its release last year, “Iti Mapukpukaw” producer Project 8 shared that the film received a 100% debut score on Rotten Tomatoes from both critics and audience, praising it for its animation and emotional impact.
For those who want to watch the film from overseas, sadly the film will only be available in Southeast Asia countries as per Project 8’s recent post.
If you’re looking for new films to catch this month, you might want to jot this down on your list! For more updates, follow Netflix Philippines’ Facebook and Instagram pages.
