For Raya and the Last Dragon, the influences of a multitude of Southeast Asian cultures are apparent. For directors Don Hall and Carlos López Estrada, and writer Qui Nguyen, it was important to bring to light a culture that is often unseen at on a large scale.
From the use of Thai martial arts to Filipino weapons such as the Arnis, the inclusion of specific aspects of Southeast Asian culture helped to bond the amalgamation that was Kumandra.DEADLINE: How did you come up with the concept and story for Raya?QUI NGUYEN: The movie had been in development for quite a few years, so by the time it got to us, there were definitely some strong themes there and we knew that it would be a movie about Southeast Asia, and one that had to do with dragons
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