Family Values in Don Hall and Carlos Lopez Estrada’s Movie Raya and The Last Dragon

Abstract

In the Disney animated film Raya and the Last Dragon, family values serve as the emotional and moral foundation of the story, reflecting Southeast Asian cultural principles of unity, trust, and interdependence. This study aims to explore the portrayal of family relationships in the film through Van Wel’s (1994) Family Bonding Theory, which identifies seven core values: attachment, commitment, interdependence, closeness, trust, intimacy, and love. Using a qualitative descriptive approach, the research analyzes key scenes and dialogues between Raya, her father Benja, and her companions to uncover how these values are expressed through emotional development and character interaction. The findings reveal that attachment is embodied in Raya’s bond with her father, commitment appears in her determination to continue his vision of unity, interdependence arises in her collaboration with her allies, closeness is built through shared vulnerability, trust becomes the central moral challenge, intimacy is expressed through open emotional exchanges, and love stands as the ultimate force of reconciliation. The study concludes that Raya and the Last Dragon present a culturally grounded yet globally resonant narrative, demonstrating how Southeast Asian family values can be meaningfully represented in contemporary animation to inspire emotional healing, cooperation, and collective responsibility