An exciting adventure, a breathtaking plunge into the natural landscapes of Polynesia, a journey of discovery of the world and of one's own identity: Moana, known in the original English as Moana, the new film from Walt Disney Animation Studios in cinemas from 22 December, is a concentrated burst of beauty and rich narrative inspiration.

Nature comes to life

Set in ancient Polynesia 2,000 years ago, the film's protagonist is Vaiana, the sixteen-year-old daughter of the village chief of Motu Nui, a magnificent Pacific island threatened by a dark and terrible curse that is blighting the fruit and fish that have always sustained it. Folk legends and myths lay the blame on Maui, demigod of wind and sea, who stole the heart of Te Fiti, mother of all islands, in order to bestow upon humanity her most precious power: that of "creating life".

Encouraged by Grandma Tala, the village "eccentric" and keeper of her people's traditions, Vaiana decides to embark on a great and courageous mission: to set out against her father's wishes (since no one is permitted to venture beyond the reef) to face the ocean, find Maui and return the heart to Te Fiti, thereby restoring the order of things and saving the world.

The journey will be full of dangers, but also of fascinating discoveries, and Vaiana will always have the help of the ocean on her side, accompanying her in the undertaking and literally coming to life. The protagonist's deep relationship with the sea and its personification is one of the most compelling aspects of the film. It is the ocean that chooses Vaiana from childhood, recognising in her the ability to listen to and respect nature, treating it as a living being and a friend to be defended.

For these reasons, Moana lends itself to an environmentalist reading, in which humanity is punished for its overbearing and disrespectful attitude towards nature. Stealing its "heart" can be understood as a metaphor for the predatory exploitation of its resources — an attitude that overturns the entire balance of creation, forcing people to confront their own dependence on nature.

Ancient traditions in a modern story

The idea for this film came from the stories of the ancient Polynesian explorers. For centuries the Pacific Ocean was crossed by the greatest sailors, in search of the many islands of Oceania, but around 3,000 years ago these voyages ceased for approximately a millennium. The reasons remain shrouded in mystery. Driven by curiosity, the film's producers and directors Ron Clements and John Musker (The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, The Princess and the Frog) set out to study the traditions of these peoples, spending a great deal of time with local communities. "Navigation is an enormously important element in Pacific cultures," explains Musker. "The ancient Polynesians found their way across the open sea and discovered new islands without the aid of modern instruments, guided by their knowledge of nature, the stars, the waves and the currents."

Among the theories that explain why these expert seafarers stopped exploring the seas is the legend of the demigod Maui, which exists in numerous versions, each handed down over centuries. Captivated by this, the creators of Moana wanted to bring to life a modern story, yet one faithful to traditional Polynesian culture.

The result is a magnificent hymn to nature and a highly topical story with a protagonist of great charisma and a universal theme: the search for one's own identity. "The idea of a teenager who dreams of becoming a navigator seemed genuinely fascinating to us," says Musker. "The theme of exploration was perfect for telling the story of a young girl who finds her own identity and takes control of her own destiny."

A plunge into the screen

One of the most successful aspects of the film is the visual quality achieved by the computer-generated animation. The beauty of the landscapes, the natural world, and the expressiveness of the characters are overwhelming and even "sculptural" — as director Musker describes them — though he specifies that the intention was never to give the film a photorealistic look: "We developed a slightly caricatured version of the Pacific islands. We made the colours, which are already very rich, slightly more intense."

Great attention was paid to the vegetation, with more than 60 plant species featured, and experts were consulted to ensure that only flowers and fruits that genuinely existed in the period in which the film is set were included. The undisputed star of the film, however, is the ocean water, rendered using new technologies that made it possible to replicate its characteristic reflections. So incredible that it truly makes you want to dive right into the screen.