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Moana 2: dazzling sequel redefines the Disney princess with strength, independence and leadership
Last Updated on November 30, 2024 by Daily News Staff
Laura O’Flanagan, Dublin City University
Moana 2
Moana isn’t a typical Disney heroine, stating quite clearly in the latest instalment, Moana 2, that she is not a princess. Her friend Maui’s response – “Well, a lot of people think you are” – elicited knowing laughter from the audience when I saw the film. This shows just how much Moana has redefined what it means to be a Disney princess.
Unconcerned with traditional tropes like ballgowns and romance, Moana embodies strength, independence and a deep commitment to environmental stewardship. She powerfully demonstrates how human action can effect real environmental healing and transformation; through collaborating with the forces of nature, the world can be saved from environmental catastrophe.
In Moana 2, her commitment to protecting the Earth again takes centre stage – but this time going even further to deliver a powerful call for collective action, to restore environmental harmony and strengthen human interconnectedness. Answering the call of her ancestors, Moana sets out on a treacherous ocean voyage to ensure the survival of her island against the wishes of Nalo, a powerful storm god who is determined that humans should remain isolated from one another.
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Moana, of course, shares several traits with earlier Disney princesses. Like Belle from Beauty and the Beast and Jasmine from Aladdin, she dreams of a life beyond the confines of her immediate world. Similar to Ariel from The Little Mermaid and Mulan, she sets off on a dangerous adventure far from home. And like all the princesses before her, Moana has animal companions – Pua the pig and Hei-Hei the chicken. But what sets Moana apart is how her connection to nature is portrayed.
Disney has a long legacy of linking its princesses with nature, from Snow White and Cinderella, who recruit small animals to assist with their domestic chores, to Elsa in Frozen who can magically control ice and snow. But Moana’s relationship with the natural world is more than just symbolic interaction. Her bond with nature is an active, collaborative partnership. https://www.youtube.com/embed/qkgkUCqEum4?wmode=transparent&start=0
This is not a typical Disney princess story of self-discovery, but of active engagement with the world around her. In the first film, Moana embarks on a dangerous oceanic journey to “restore the heart of Te Fiti” – that is, repair the environmental damage caused by the trickster demi-god Maui and restore harmony to the natural world. In doing so, she sets her island and the Disney princess in a new direction.
In the sequel, Moana is more mature, more experienced as a wayfinder, and is a highly respected member of her island community. This new story sees her lead a group of fellow islanders on a voyage to find the lost island of Motufetu and reconnect isolated island communities across the ocean. Through this, she demonstrates the power of collective action. She partners with human and non-human entities in pursuit of these goals, which will lead to better environmental outcomes and greater human connection.
Instead of simply reacting to or passively experiencing nature, as many of her Disney predecessors have, Moana works with forces of nature including the ocean, which is a key character in both films. Unlike typical 3D animation processes, where water is created through automated particle simulations, Disney artists have animated the ocean in Moana as a character, giving it more human-like movement and personality.
This approach allows the ocean to become a true partner in Moana’s journey, guiding her and actively engaging with her in meaningful ways as she restores balance to the environment and connects isolated island communities.
This is a visually stunning sequel that recaptures and builds on the magic of the first film, and should be seen on a large screen. Dazzling artistry fills every frame – in particular, bioluminescent sea life is spectacularly rendered. Polynesian culture is represented in more detail, with traditional rituals, dancing, artwork and singing giving the film a weightier authenticity.
As a musical, the songs are not initially quite as catchy as in the first film, but time will tell if they resonate with audiences. The characters have grown since we last encountered them. Moana flourishes in her role as both a leader and a protector of the Earth. We also see her develop into the role of “big sister” – to her younger sibling Simea and, symbolically, to all who she encounters.
There are heartfelt callbacks to the first film as we see Moana share her knowledge of the ocean and pass on the wisdom she has received from her grandmother, now in spirit, who is portrayed beautifully onscreen in human form and as a manta ray. Moana’s relationship with the egotistical Maui is again a source of comedy, but now contains an emotional depth that comes from a platonic friendship with roots.
Through Moana, we have moved into a new era of the Disney princess. Physically strong and fit, a skilled navigator and blossoming leader, she is a heroine on screen and in the world of the film, where she is depicted on decorative tapa cloths alongside gods and myths. She announces herself as “Moana of the land and of the sea”.
In her seminal work Feminism and The Mastery of Nature, ecofeminist and environmental philosopher Val Plumwood wrote:
If we are to survive into a liveable future, we must take into our own hands the power to create, restore and explore different stories, with new main characters, better plots, and at least the possibility of some happy endings.
Through stories of human interconnectedness, ecological harmony and respect for the natural world, Disney’s Moana 2 appears to be doing just that.
Laura O’Flanagan, PhD Candidate in the School of English, Dublin City University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Last Updated on May 4, 2026 by Daily News Staff
Cinco de Mayo is a holiday that commemorates the Mexican army’s victory over the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. In the United States, the holiday has become a celebration of Mexican-American culture and heritage, often involving parades, parties, and traditional foods such as tacos and margaritas.
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New hybrid event aims to give grieving audiences meaningful holiday viewing, with films from more than 25 countries and a mission centered on love, loss, and emotional truth.
A new film festival debuting in late 2026 is taking a different approach to holiday entertainment. Grief Fest™: The Grief Film Festival, created by My Grief Angels Inc., is being introduced as what organizers believe is the world’s first film festival dedicated entirely to grief, remembrance, resilience, and healing.
The hybrid festival will run in two segments: November 25–29, 2026, during Thanksgiving week, and December 24, 2026, through January 3, 2027, during Christmas and New Year’s. Top Honors films will be announced on December 31, 2026.
Organizers say the timing is intentional. Research cited in the announcement shows that grief and loneliness are major holiday stressors for many Americans, making the season especially difficult for people coping with loss. In that context, Grief Fest™ is positioning itself as an alternative to the flood of traditional feel-good holiday programming.
The festival is open to short films, features, documentaries, experimental work, AI-generated projects, and VR experiences. It is described as inclusive, non-religious, and LGBTQ+ friendly, with submissions already received from more than 25 countries. All films will be presented in English, either spoken or subtitled.
Grief Fest™ will be available both in person and virtually through Film Festival Plus, making it accessible to audiences worldwide. The launch of GriefFest.com also includes Lumen, a multilingual AI guide designed to help filmmakers and attendees navigate the festival in their preferred language.
Rather than focusing on industry prestige, organizers say the festival is centered on community and emotionally honest storytelling. For audiences who feel unseen during the holidays, Grief Fest™ is aiming to offer something rare on the seasonal screen: recognition.
Source: PR Newswire
Related Reading
- Grief Fest: Official festival site
- My Grief Angels Inc.: About the nonprofit behind the festival
- Film Festival Plus: Virtual access platform
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As the United States moves toward the 250th anniversary of its independence, a new public storytelling project is asking Americans to answer a big question: what does the American Dream mean today?
McCourt Entertainment has launched America-Dreams.com at SXSW as a digital platform designed to collect video submissions from people across the country. The goal is ambitious: gather one million voices reflecting on hope, opportunity, and what Americans want the future of the country to look like.
The initiative is tied to AMERIGO, an upcoming documentary presented by South Florida PBS and distributed by American Public Television. The film, which will be available to PBS stations nationwide beginning in June as part of 2026 programming tied to the nation’s 250th anniversary, explores the past, present, and future of the American Dream through conversations with people across the United States.
According to the project team, selected user-submitted videos may become part of the broader AMERIGOstorytelling effort, turning the campaign into more than a promotional rollout. Instead, it is being framed as a living archive of public voices gathered during a milestone moment in American history.
South Florida PBS President and CEO Dolores Fernandez Alonso said the goal is to make the anniversary feel inclusive and participatory.
“To celebrate the 250th anniversary of America’s independence, we wanted to do something truly remarkable and invite all Americans to share their hope for the American Dream at America-Dreams.com,” Alonso said. “We are extremely proud of the cross-section of voices from across our nation and we want to capture these stories, experiences and perspectives so that people feel included in this historic national conversation.”
Emmy Award-winning producer David McCourt said the project builds on the documentary team’s nationwide reporting.
“As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, this project asks a simple but powerful question: ‘What is your hope for the American Dream?’” McCourt said. “We want to hear directly from people across the country.”
The campaign arrives at a moment when interactive documentary projects and audience participation are becoming a larger part of public media storytelling. With AMERIGO, the combination of a PBS documentary and a nationwide video submission initiative gives the project a broader cultural footprint than a traditional film release.
Submissions are now open at America-Dreams.com. A trailer for AMERIGO is also available on Vimeo.
For entertainment audiences, the project stands out less as a conventional documentary launch and more as a large-scale invitation to participate in a national media moment ahead of America’s semiquincentennial.
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