‘The Lovers’, a queer animated short film set in dark fantasy Philippines, will finally be available for streaming for free on YouTube this August 30.
This enemies-to-lovers WLW (women loving women) adult animation by Studio Heartbreak takes place in an alternate Binondo, Philippines, where mythological creatures live alongside humans.
It will be streamed ad-free in Tagalog, with English subtitles, the independent studio announced on its social media pages on August 9.
Meet Sara and Sirena
The dark romantasy story centers on Sara, a seafood chef who is forced to leave her dreams behind and return home to keep her family’s restaurant in business after her father’s death.
Amid the pressure and grief, she meets Sirena — a siren meant to be the main course for a politician’s birthday Sara is cooking for.
According to the studio’s website, “Sirena is a cunning siren, an apex predator armed with psychedelic venom, sharp spines and an even sharper mind.”
“Although she’s well acquainted with the cruelty of humans, there’s something hiding behind her confidence.”
As Sirena tries to get into Sara’s head in an effort to escape, the two form a toxic and dangerous affair.
“She [Sara] thought she made peace with everything she couldn’t have in life… but Sara’s world is about to be shaken one last time,” said Studio Heartbreak.
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More about ‘The Lovers’
“Sara’s story embraces colloquial Tagalog and Taglish to immerse the viewer into the unique dynamics of a Filipino family,” the independent studio wrote on its Kickstarter page, where the animated short raised over $400,000 from more than 7,000 backers since it opened in 2023.
“The film explores mature themes, delving into the complexities of repression, love, generational trauma, body horror, and the intricacies of desire and identity,” it added.
‘The Lovers’ made its international premiere at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival in France in June 2026 alongside other Filipino animated movies, including ’58th’, ‘Zsazsa Zaturnnah’, ‘Forgotten Island’, and ‘Sun Chaser’.
It recently won the Gold Award for Best Animated Short at the 2026 Fantasia International Film Festival.
Sara is voiced by Vanille Velasquez (Valorant, League of Legends), while Sirena’s voice actor is Dawn M. Bennett (My Hero Academia, Honkai: Star Rail, Fire Emblem).
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KC Maderia 
Rosemarie Zamora 
Geoffrey H. Latayan