The Disney animated film released in 2016 featuring a Polynesian princess was Moana.
Produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios, Moana follows the daughter of a village chief who sails across the ocean to restore a mystical relic to the goddess Te Fiti. The film is set in an imagined ancient Polynesia and draws on elements of Polynesian mythology, navigation, community, and ocean culture.
Moana premiered at the AFI Fest in Los Angeles on November 14, 2016, before its United States theatrical release on November 23. Auliʻi Cravalho provided Moana’s voice in her feature-film debut, while Dwayne Johnson voiced Maui, a legendary shapeshifting demigod. The film was directed by Ron Clements and John Musker.
The film is sometimes confused with Tangled or Frozen because all three are Disney animated films centered on royal or princess-like heroines. Moana is different in its Pacific setting and its emphasis on voyaging and cultural heritage. In some international markets, the film was released under the titles Vaiana or Oceania.