The main character is Moana, a young woman who goes on an adventure to save her island. She spends most of her time with Maui, a male demigod, but does have multiple meaningful conversations with her grandmother about her life, her journey, and the history of their island. Moana addresses her grandmother as Gramma and the grandmother is credited as Gramma Tala. The movie is also notable for Moana's position of power on the island (she is the chiefs daughter and will become chief herself in the future), her insistence that she is not a princess, and her lack of any love interest through the movie.

I would argue that it doesn't meet all three criteria because even though the grandmother has a name listed in the credits, no one EVER uses it in the film. You have to go to the credits to find out what her name actually is.

It's 2 out of 3. While the grandma is credited as Tala, NO ONE calls her by her name. Gramma/Mom are not names, they are functions a woman fulfills in relation to others.

No, it passes clearly. You people really need to stop taking the "needs to have a name" rule so literally. Even if Tala isn't named WITHIN the movie, she is still a very important character to the narrative and plays a big part in Moana's character development.

In addition to all the details mentioned by svaria, Moana also has as much of a conversation as is possible with a goddess Te Fiti, who does not speak. The film only has six characters with main parts: three of these are female, including Te Fiti. Of the males, only two meet, briefly, and some of their discussion is about Moana. Whether or not it passes the test, it is clearly not a sexist film.

As the other commenters pointed out, Moana has several conversations with her grandmother who is an important character.

She also has a conversation with the goddess Te Fiti, at the climax of the movie, telling her that she sees who the goddess truly is, and knows that her violent volcanic incarnation is not who she really is, to song of course.

This means that this movie is definitely a pass.

If I remember correctly, Moana has a conversation with Te Fiti as well. While the latter is a god, she is most certainly named and female. Granted, their conversation relates to Maui, but the conversation is squarely about Te Fiti.

nefertiti is a woman ?

Her mother is named Sina, and yes she is referred to as Sina in the movie. Stop calling her nameless.

"Grandma" does not qualify. Without the credits, we'd have no clue. Sure: Disney made a female protagonist that is never involved in a romantic relationship throughout the movie – which is great – but that doesn't make this movie pass the Bechdel test.

Would Moana's "This isn't who you are, I know who you are" interaction with Te Ka/Te Fiti count as a conversation? She speaks to her, and they touch foreheads in a show of trust/affection. It seems like that should count for something, even if it's not a long, drawn out discussion.

Would Moana's "This isn't who you are, I know who you are" interaction with Te Ka/Te Fiti count as a conversation? She speaks to her, and they touch foreheads in a show of trust/affection. It seems like that should count for something, even if it's not a long, drawn out discussion.

I disagree because - when moana is talking with her granny, they talk also about her father.

Even in the end when she was talking with the goddess she is giving space to the demi-god Maui.

Moana speaks with the entity at the end, who is named, and identifies as female, about what had been done to her and their roles.

Moana still passes the 3 criteria. It's uncommon for family to distinguish between grandmothers with their names unless they are spicifically discussing more than one grandmother. The fact that Grandma Tala was credited with a name at the end still counts in my opinion. There are also meaningful interactions with Te Fiti/Teka, even if Te Fiti doesn't speak back. Either way whether you count Te Fiti because she was named, or Grandma Tala because she spoke, I think it still meets all three criteria.

But who calls their mom or grandma by their name? Even spouses will call each other mom/dad in front of their children.

The fact that Moana and her mother and Moana and her grandmother talk about normal things AND that no part of the movie at any time sets up a situation where Moana is characterized by her relationship to a man (not even her relationship with Maui would be any different were Maui depicted as female), should get this movie a pass.

The reason I considered Gramma to be a named character is because to Moana, a child, Gramma is her name. Most children do not consider Grandmother (or another variation of such) to be a title or a function a woman fulfills- it is just what they call that person. Many children do not use their grandparents names or even (depending on age) know their grandparents names. As this is a movie geared to children, I did not think it was unreasonable to consider Gramma a name. However, I can see where others may disagree

I agree with Micaela.

That is so true that I refuse to add 'Moana' to my list of movies which passes in Bechdel test that I made in filmow.com. Even if 'Moana' is one of my favorite movies.

There are so few characters in this film and the only person who converses with Gramma is Moana (and briefly her father) - neither of them would have need to use her name. My daughter calls me mum not Sophie. So we don't learn her name, but she is named to the characters and she is a vitally important part of both Moana's life and the storyline. That aside, Moana has not hint of a being an object of desire and at no point is her future leadership in question. It is the least sexist film I have ever had the privilege of taking my daughter to.

The grandmother is one of those moments where I feel that the "must be named" portion of the test fails the art and the feminism.

The deeper version of the Bechdel Test is to check to see if the female characters in the film have as deep relationships to one another as they do to the men, or if they're primarily defined by the men's roles.

Moana's relationship with her grandmother has depth to it- as much as her relationship to her father, and their conversations are very much two way (not just a comment one woman says to another with no response).

She also definitely speaks to Te Fiti (who responds) and it is not all about Maui.

I absolutely agree that this movie passes the test. We have a Disney movie with:
-a brave, bold, strong female hero
-a brave, bold, strong female hero of COLOR
-a female hero who insists she is NOT A PRINCESS
-a female hero who sets out on voyages, sails ships, climbs mountains, fights battles, outwits opponents...
-a kind, understanding, living mother
-a strong, wise grandmother
-a theme involving women's wisdom and history
-a female hero who was clearly the leader, with a male sidekick

Yeah, the male sidekick had to use brawn (and superpowers) to rescue
her a few times but she was clearly providing both the brains and
the moral compass of the mission.

And I don't think the rule is or should be that the female characters never mention a man when they talk.
Moana and her grandmother talk about her strengths and her role as the future leader of her people, and who she really is, her identity and her destiny, as well as the history of her people (and when they discuss that history, it is about her PEOPLE , not specifically men)