STOP depicting colonizers as heroes.
This was the outcry of some Filipino netizens after the trailer and poster of Spanish animated movie, "Elcano and Magellan, The First Voyage" went viral online.
The trailer, featuring Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan and Spanish explore Juan Sebastian Elcano, features the lead characters on "the first trip around the world."
The animated film was produced by Dibulitoon, a Spanish based studio.
The movie's trailer promises "a great adventure that will change the course of human history," and is planned to be released in Philippine theaters in 2020.
However, the children's adventure film did not sit well with some Filipinos.
Revered Filipino hero, Lapu-Lapu, is making his cameo in the film. The film's poster said that the Battle at Mactan will also be included.
The portrayal of Lapu-Lapu drew in most of the flak as some of the netizens feel that the producers made an enemy out of a chieftain defending his own land.
Following the backlash, Crystalsky Multimedia, the official distributor of the animated film, decided to reevaluate the movie.
In a statement, they said they will invite historians, members of the academe and film experts to a film preview.
On Thursday, November 7, SunStar Cebu asked Cebuanos on their opinions of the trailer and poster.
For Cathleen Marie Solon, as a Filipino, she is upset that the creators of the film disrespected the country.
"As a Filipino I am deeply offended and it shows disrespect in our country for the first time," said Solon.
In a different light, netizen Francis Cutamora said that Filipinos should also respect the Spanish's perspective of history.
"If the Spaniards were the one producing the film they had the right on what they ought to believe, that Magellan is a hero, considering that he expanded the territorial control of Spain for they were in battle with other Countries during that time," Cutamora said.
On Thursday, November 7, MalacaƱang released a statement regarding the issue stating that it will be up to the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board should the film be banned or not.