<P> The film tells the story of Moana, the strong - willed daughter of a chief of a Polynesian village, who is chosen by the ocean itself to reunite a mystical relic with a goddess . When a blight strikes her island, Moana sets sail in search of Maui, a legendary demigod, in the hope of returning the heart of Te Fiti and saving her people . </P> <P> Moana was released theatrically in the United States on November 23, 2016 to generally positive reviews from critics, with particular praise going towards its animation, music, and vocal performances . The film went on to gross over $643 million worldwide . Along with Zootopia, it marked the first time since 2002 that Walt Disney Animation Studios released two feature films in the same year . It received two Academy Award nominations at the 89th Academy Awards: one for Best Animated Feature and another for Best Original Song ("How Far I'll Go"). </P> <P> On the Polynesian island of Motunui, the inhabitants worship the goddess Te Fiti, who brought life to the ocean, using a pounamu stone as her heart and the source of her power . Maui, the shapeshifting demigod and master of sailing, steals the heart to give humanity the power of creation . However, Te Fiti disintegrates, and Maui is attacked by Te Kā, a volcanic demon, losing both his magical giant fishhook and the heart to the depths . </P> <P> A millennium later, Moana, daughter of Motunui's chief Tui, is chosen by the ocean to return the heart to Te Fiti . However, Tui arrives and takes Moana away, causing her to lose the heart . Tui and Moana's mother Sina try to keep her away from the ocean to prepare for her ascension as the island's chief . Years later, after Moana has grown older, a blight strikes the island, rotting the coconuts and dwindling the number of fish caught . Moana suggests going beyond the island's reef to find more fish, but Tui forbids it . Sina explains to Moana that Tui and his best friend tried going beyond the reef, but the latter perished . Moana and her pet pig Pua try conquering the reef but are overpowered by the ocean's tides and end up shipwrecked back on Motunui . </P>

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