STAGE TUBE: MOANA Producer Talks Exploring Oceanic Culture to Create Moana's World

After years of criticism directed at Disney for giving in to stereotypes when portraying non-white characters and their cultures, one of the most refreshing aspects of the studio's latest "princess" film is the creators' dedication to depicting the world of the title character with dignity, accuracy, and depth. Moana producer Osnat Shurer recently sat down with Deadline's Contenders to discuss the process of developing the island of Mata Nui.

When discussing THE JOURNEY of the film's creation, Shurer says, "It wasn't until we got there (Oceania) that we really,really understood the true beauty of the islands, which is the beauty of the people. We came back with a completely different story, but changed ourselves forever."

About MOANA: Three thousand years ago, the greatest sailors in the world voyaged across the vast South Pacific, discovering the many islands of Oceania. But then, for a millennium, their voyages stopped - and no one today knows why. From Walt DisneyAnimation Studios comes "Moana," a sweeping, CG-animated adventure about a spirited teenager who sails out on a daring mission to prove herself a master wayfinder and fulfill her ancestors' unfinished quest.

During her journey, Moana (voice of Auli'i Cravalho) meets the once-mighty demi-god Maui (voice of Dwayne Johnson), and together, they traverse the open ocean on an action-packed voyage, encountering enormous fiery creatures and impossible odds. Directed by the renowned filmmaking team of Ron Clements and John Musker ("The Little Mermaid," "Aladdin," "The Princess & the Frog"), the film was produced by Osnat Shurer ("Lifted," "One Man Band").

Check out the interview below, and for the original article, click here.

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