James Cameron in Brazil

James Cameron is in Brazil for the second time this year, lobbying the Brazilian government to block the construction of one of the world's largest hydroelectric dams, which environmentalists oppose.

From the New York Times article about the director in the Amazon:

"Now, Mr. Cameron said, he has been spurred to action, to speak out against the looming environmental destruction endangering indigenous groups around the world — a cause that is fueling his inner rage and inspiring his work on an “Avatar” sequel.

“Any direct experience that I have with indigenous peoples and their plights may feed into the nature of the story I choose to tell,” he said. “In fact, it almost certainly will.” Referring to his Amazon trip, he added, “It just makes me madder.”

Cameron brought Sigourney Weaver along this time, and both will protest the Belo Monte project in Brasilia this week. He wrote a letter to Lula, though it would seem he was denied a private meeting with him, unless it was held secretly, which I doubt.

The Belo Monte project has been in the works for a long time, and indigenous groups have fought against it since the idea came to light. It's one of the classic Amazon struggles: development to benefit Brazilians with jobs and energy vs. environmental destruction and further marginalization of indigenous groups. Despite protests against the dam, it looks as though the project is going to move forward. But with such a high profile celebrity on the ground, allied with Brazilian protesters, he just might have thrown a wrench into the process, at least temporarily.

What do you think about a big Hollywood star using his fame for this cause? Is he fighting a good fight, or is he just a gringo metido?

Comments

[andressa]

Definitivamente...gringo metido! Adorei o termo!
E não é que o homem até plantar pau-brasil plantou?
O gringo está metido mesmo!!
http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/folha/ilustrada/ult90u719268.shtml
Mas por outro lado é bom pois o gringo metido é influente e formador de opinião!

[andressa]

Sabe qual é a melhor da matéria?!
" Mr. Cameron and his wife, Suzy Amis, arrived (in Amazon) with three bodyguards."
Bodyguards in case of snake attack?!

Cameron about the natives: "These people really are looking for me to do something about their situation..."

Now they will be colonized by Hollywood?!
Promotion, promotion, promotion!!

Mais uma vez obrigada pelo post!!

[Lilian]

James Cameron may as well be the next Sting, strolling the world with Raoni by his side. And get all the buzz but getting no real work done.

[Simone]

Oh, you know, this is a pretty hot topic - if you know what I mean. I have strong feelings in both directions. I both think is great (really awesome) and at the same time feel is a bit too arrogant for him to do this when he can be fighting here in America. As we both know, Obama recently just allowed for more drilling in Alaska - or am I wrong? There is plenty they can do, however, if they could only read the papers or go talk to some environmental groups. He is acting like a real "j**k", but again, he is probably one. In this issue, he is being a hypocrite...he is indifferent to major issues in his own country!!
I am sure this thing is political. "Oh, Gee... what isn't, right?" haha Yeah, well, either way I like to see some effort in "saving the planet", if it makes sense. Maybe he will protest the pre-salt drilling as well? That will be great!! This way all politicians in Brazil will love him. :) (big sarcasm, here)
I just wish he (and other big profile Americans) protest crook government here and also in Brazil. But that's unlikely so yeah... He is a "metido". :P I think (not quite sure yet) he should mind his own business first.

[Simone]

Take that back. As someone said, this is pure marketing. And, yeah, if that's the case, he is minding his business alright. ;-)

[Marcio Bernardo]

I don't see any problem with what he is doing so I don't think he is a "gringo metido"

In my opinion there are two parts in this story

1) Arts/Star being political. Which I don't a problem with it. I actually enjoy it, and Brazil have a long tradition of having "artistas engajados" just think of Chico Buarque, Caetano Velosa, Gilberto Gil to name but a few (Americans seems to be irked by entertainer-political mix, at the U2 show in NJ during Bono speech about Aung San Suu Kyi I hear a group of American yelling for him to "just sing! if i want politics I take it from CNN" and that was before the "Walk On" song - not sure which was scarier the fact that someone would actually be irked by political message on a U2 concert!!! or that someone with a functioning brain would "take politics from CNN"!!!!)

2) International spot light on Brazil, you can try to became a player on international affairs (Haiti, Iran, Israel/Palestine conflict), host the Olympics and Word Cup and expect that the world won't be critical about your internal affairs, particular the Amazon

I trust in democracy, using his fame to draw attention to this project will only promote more debate and democratic debate is always a good thing. (I wish he/other would question Brazil's sugar cane expansion into Pantanal and/or the Amazon basin - a more pressing environmental problem in my opinion) also the more international oversight/spotlight regarding the Amazon/Pantanal/Environment the better as far as I'm concerned.

It seems that he is into Natives these days, he just made millions with Avatar so if he wants to raise the profile of Native population more power to him. I wonder if it was an European Star would we consider him/her a "grigo metido" also?

[Rio Gringa]

Marcio and others - thank you for bringing up such an obvious point that I missed. Regardless of what his feigned intentions are, this is at least partially a marketing stunt, and it seems to be working. Part of the reason I brought this up at all is because I can't stand James Cameron, and while I hope that he can do some good, I also just think he's a bit of a babaca.

[Joana]

I don't think he is a 'gringo metido' and i really think he's doing a great job.
People don't really know how much will cost to brazil to have this hidroeletric built.
Brazil should invest on alternatives sources of energy and not just a big project to make some money to rich people who only care about making more money.
I recommend people to read this article
http://www.brasildefato.com.br/v01/agencia/nacional/mpf-e-pgr-entram-com-acao-contra-usina-hidreletrica-de-belo-monte/view

[andressa]

And they got it!!
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/15/world/americas/15briefs-Brazilbrf.html?ref=world

I agree with all you guys, but I still think he is metido.... 3 bodyguards...?! haha... sorry about my sarcasm!

@Simone - "I wonder if it was an European Star would we consider him/her a "grigo metido" also?"
We can list Bono as the first european metido.. I really love him but he is metido.

Anyway, as long as they change others opinion, face a problem and go for it to change the status quo and do much more than sell gossip magazines they are making the difference, doesn't matter if they are metido or not!

[brazinglish]

nem vou ler os comentários e vou comentar em português só pra não botar mais lenha na fogueira (até porque meu comentário é half-joking)... mas imagina se um "latino metido" inventa de abraçar uma causa polêmica assim nos EUA?

— p.s. » li o comentário acima do meu: Bono é o ultimate gringo metido! se vende como bom moço, mas quando é o bolso dele em questão, tudo muda! desculpa sair um pouco do tema, mas:

Who else has Holland attracted?
Dublin-based rock group U2, the Rolling Stones’s nearest rivals for the world’s top-grossing act last year. Since the 1960s, Ireland has given artists and writers a famously easy ride when it comes to tax. Until 1 January, it exempted resident artists, including musicians, from tax on the sale of their work. Now there’s a still-generous nil-rate band up to e250,000. But crucially for the band’s five multimillionaire members (in an unusual arrangement, long-time manager Paul McGuinness shares the spoils with the four musicians), the sale of licensing and merchandising rights is not included. Given the shrinking tax-break on earnings from song rights, last June McGuinness shifted ownership of U2’s huge song catalogue from his own Dublin-based company to Promogroup, the firm originally set up by the Rolling Stones. For U2, whose frontman, Bono, is a high-profile campaigner on global poverty, the publicity resulting from this tax-avoidance strategy has been less than welcome, but the group argues it’s merely being tax-efficient, just like any other business.

from: http://www.moneyweek.com/personal-finance/its-only-tax-planning-but-i-like-it.aspx