“The Lovers” debuts as Studio Heartbreak’s first short film. The studio teased a clip of their film in early January 2023 on twitter, releasing a full trailer and Kickstarter on May 9th 2023. The story follows a reluctant chef, Sara Lin Baylon, as she returns home to her late father’s restaurant struggling to fill his shoes. Sara finds herself in a predicament as she becomes entangled in an affair with a mystique siren, a focal point of the govenor’s reception dinner….The main course.
Studio Heartbreak is an independent, internet-based animation studio founded by college students. Alongside being up and coming, Studio Heartbreak’s affiliates have also worked for animation studios such as Mappa Studio (Jujutsu Kaisen, Attack on Titan) and Pierrot (Naruto, Boruto). Their team is made up of passionate creators dedicated to breaking boundaries in animation. Their unique methods of storytelling bring a new level towards today’s animation as this indie film becomes a highly anticipated project for both the animation and LGBTQ+ community.
Screenshot from The Lovers
Vanille Velasquez, known for her role as Neon in Valorant and Zeri in League of Legends, will be voicing the protagonist Sara Baylon and Dawn Bennet, who has voiced in many games including Fire Emblem and Honkai: Star Rail, will be voicing Sirena. The independent film features dialogue spoken in Tagalog. With support through their campaign, Studio Heartbreak hopes to include an english dub featuring the original voice actors.
You can check out more of their work through Studio Heartbreak’s Website, where they highlight artwork of their film from guest artists. There is no exact date for the film’s release but fans can assume it will most likely be out during late 2025. But be sure to follow along with Studio Heartbreak as they continue to reveal updates on the film’s progess.
Hi! The Lovers is a WLW animated thriller about a siren and a seafood chef, set in a dark fantasy Philippines.
You can watch our full trailer for free on our Kickstarter page! Link in bio. pic.twitter.com/AAKBj3ScCT
— Studio Heartbreak @ KICKSTARTER LIVE (@studioheartbrk) May 9, 2023
