Claim: Moana is a recorded work.

Moana -LRB- -LSB- moʊˈɑːnə -RSB- -RRB- is a 2016 American computer-animated musical fantasy-adventure film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures . It is the 56th Disney animated feature film . Directed by Ron Clements and John Musker , co-directed by Don Hall and Chris Williams , the film introduces Auli'i Cravalho as Moana and features the voices of Dwayne Johnson , Rachel House , Temuera Morrison , Jemaine Clement , Nicole Scherzinger , and Alan Tudyk . The film features music written by Lin-Manuel Miranda , Opetaia Foa'i , and Mark Mancina .   The film tells the story of Moana , the strong-willed daughter of the chief of a Polynesian tribe , 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 saving her people .   Moana was released theatrically in the United States on November 23 , 2016 to critical acclaim , with critics particularly praising the film for its animation , music , and voice cast . The film went on to gross over $ 642 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 -LRB- `` How Far I 'll Go '' -RRB- .