Kate Moss in 3D

The conversation at work went something like this:
Me: Dela, do you happen to have 3D glasses?
Dela: ….nnnnah. Well, actually… (selects the 3D issue of Time Out magazine amid a stack, pulls out 3D glasses) Wow.
Me: Wow.

Avatar: Not quite a revolution.

Avatar.
(Note: I give the story away, so please don’t read if you want to see the film…)

I’ve got to say…for Hollywood, this film comes very, very close to the revolutionary borderline – thought it definitely does not cross. It’s inspiring to see the essence of indigenous life painted so poetically and in 3D! The spirit and the landscape of Pandora, the Na’vi people, the language, the animals, the flora and fauna…all of it is just miraculous. It looks and feels like how life should be here on earth – at least how it exists in the minds of fantasists like myself. Avatar succeeds in honorably relaying the heart of life and love as it exists in Indigenous people. For the first half of the film, I was totally in love.
The critique of American military, big business and even scientific research is keen – a sigh of relief from the Michael Beys of the world. I’m glad the film was so clear (without being too on the nose) about dissecting the imperial process by using language contemporaries understand. Redefining the word “terrorist” from an Indigenous-sensitive lens on a blockbuster major motion picture event platform is a noble step. Throughout the film, we were rooting for the Na’vi. The big bad USA was a cruel tyrant. An evil and sick, mindless, heartless dictator of the worst kind of philosophy.
But in the end… the story was Dances With Wolves and The Last Samurai all over again. Meet these rich Indigenous people. Love them. Enter White man, give him a couple of months to get the hang of things, and bOoM! He’s running thangs, emasculating the Indigenous male characers – who consequently, all die – leaving him to, of course, become leader of these hopeless people.

It reminds me of the many wars that are going on in our world today – born of greed by way of a desire to deplete the world’s natural resources – imperialists plotting and planning an attack – sexual warfare (sleeping with the chief’s daughter) – sympathy – white guilt – NGOs and human rights organizations – the dilemma – “being the voice for the people” vs. being a microphone…

Stream of consciousness…let me explain:

I’ve seen the work of “Western” people who attempt to fight for the protection of Indigenous people. They are around, doing the hard work, and I give them much credit. But oftentimes, I’ve also seen people get on their own high horses, wanting to become saviors and Jake Sullys. They become so self righteous that they loose sight of the very people they are fighting for, and in essence, they become subtle machines of the cultural genocide they think they are trying to cure. They cannot deny the blood-work of their fathers in destroying God’s people and enforcing Eurocentrism the world over. This war is great and has been going on for a long, long time. It is simply white supremacy. In 3D.

The question I would ask Jim Cameron is: Once you recognized that you were following the formula of “white man leads the natives”, were you comfortable with the decision to stick to that theme? Are you comfortable now?

here’s a great article that goes a little deeper.

La Vie En Rose

Marion Cotiallard’s performance as Edith Piaf in La Vie En Rose is a tremendous occasion for the cinematic theatrical arts. The film itself bends time and space magnificently – exactly the artwork I needed for inspiration on how to script the second edit of my documentary film The Diamond Project – a work in progress. Right now I’m stuck on figuring out my denouement. How will this film end? It is a short film. I want it to be in the 6 – 8 minute range. Maximum ten. It is a work in progress, and right now, I am up at 2:30 in the morning unsure of how it will end. I need to sleep because I have an edit session tomorrow for work at 10am – and I need to stop by the office to pick up tapes first before heading over to the edit facility. And strangely, no matter how much I eat tonight, my stomach still feels ever starved. Tonight it’s almost as if the more I eat, the hungrier I get! Strange. I’m befuddled. I think I’ll drink a bunch of water and lay my head down.

And dream about my film and how the story will end. Difficult since the actual “story” in real life is no where near over. But then again, what story ever is?

Update on Botswana’s San Bushman – Diamond Conflict

SURVIVAL INTERNATIONAL PRESS RELEASE

10 December 2008

BOTSWANA: DIAMOND MINE ON BUSHMAN LAND GETS GOVERNMENT APPROVAL – ON CONDITION BUSHMEN RECEIVE NO WATER

The Botswana government has given its approval to a controversial diamond mine on the land of the Kalahari Bushmen – on the condition that the mining company Gem Diamonds does not provide the Bushmen with water. The government has, however, reserved the right to use water boreholes drilled by Gem for wildlife.

The government has approved the Environmental Impact Assessment presented by Gem Diamonds for its proposed mine.

The Bushmen living in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve face severe water shortages. The government has banned them from operating a disused borehole which was their main source of water before the government unlawfully evicted them from their land.

Gem Diamonds claims that the Bushmen are in favour of the mine, but the Bushmen have had no independent advice on its probable impact.

A consulting firm visited the Bushmen earlier this year, supposedly to obtain their views on diamond mining on their land. The company’s project manager joined the board of Gem Diamonds soon after the project ended, calling the impartiality of the consultation process into serious question.

Survival’s director Stephen Corry said today, ‘It’s absolutely scandalous that the Botswana government is insisting that Gem Diamonds does not provide the Bushmen with water. The government is clearly determined to go to any lengths to keep the Bushmen off their land. As to whether the Bushmen are in favour of the mine – the lack of information provided to them means they are in no position to be able to say. It is likely that they don’t even know they will not be able to access water from the mine site.’

Preliminary Mock-Up: Diamond Awareness Month Installation

…more to come…