Avatar 2: The Way of the Water, a film by director James Cameron. – © Courtesy of 20th Century Studios
The film Avatar: The Way of the Waterwhich denounces the spoliation of indigenous lands and the destruction of ecosystems by humans, beats attendance records in the countries where it is projected. the blockbuster directed by James Cameron, however, arouses controversy.
According to Los Angeles Timespart of the Native American community judges the film « horrible and racist »and calls for its boycott. « This film appropriates our cultures in a harmful way, to satisfy a savior syndrome », wrote on Twitter Yuè Begay, co-president of the Indigenous Pride association.
This activist criticizes in particular the fact that the Na’vi characters – indigenous people of the fictional planet Pandora – are played by actors who are not from the Amerindian community, while the story is openly inspired by their history and their culture : « It is a form of racist caricature, which could be described as “Blueface” : the film uses elements of non-white cultures, in a blatant way, while playing white actors and validating a certain construction of the world ».
Do NOT watch Avatar : The Way of Water
Join Natives & other Indigenous groups around the world in boycotting this horrible & racist film. Our cultures were appropriated in a harmful manner to satisfy some 🏳 man’s savior complex.
No more Blueface !
Lakota people are powerful ! pic.twitter.com/NmHVU565u3— 🌽Asdzáá Tłʼéé honaaʼéí🌽(She/Her)🌽 (@asdza_tlehonaei) December 18, 2022
On set, production boasts to have built solar panels on the roof of his main studio for filming and production of his saga, and to have served entirely vegan meals in the cafeterias of the studios.
Nevertheless, the promotion of the film resulted in numerous plane journeys and the energy consumption of thousands of advertising screens. In Japan, a country renowned for the violence of its annual dolphin hunting season, James Cameron and the film crew also attended a promotional show with captive cetaceans.
The second opus of Avatar, however, gives pride of place to the protection of the oceans and to the members of the Metkayina tribe, with turquoise skin. They live in harmony with coral reefs, lush mangroves, winged crocodiles, jellyfish and giant butterflies. Their balance is broken with the arrival of over-armed humans, who have no qualms about making the sea a battlefield.
