James Cameron's film A Message from Pandora Wins International Cinema for Peace Award

The 20-Minute Feature Spotlights the Battle to Stop the Belo Monte Dam in the Brazilian Amazon

Amazon Watch
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | February 15, 2011

For more information, contact:
In US: Caroline Bennett, +1-510-520-9390 caroline@amazonwatch.org
In Berlin: Mitch Anderson, +1-415-342-4783 mitch@amazonwatch.org

Watch Trailer at www.messagefrompandora.org

Berlin, Germany – At today's Cinema for Peace film festival Gala, the International Jury announced James Cameron's "A Message from Pandora" as the winner of the Cinema for Peace's international Award. James Cameron, the creator of Avatar, produced the short film following his trip to the Brazilian Amazon last year. The film, which is one of the special features on the Avatar's Collector's Edition DVD, depicts the epic battle to stop the massive Belo Monte Dam on the Xingu River in the Brazilian Amazon. The award casts a timely spotlight on this real life Avatar battle at a critical moment when the Brazilian government has cleared the way for construction to begin on the world's 3rd largest hydroelectric dam project.

James Cameron, his wife Suzy Amis Cameron and cast members of Avatar including Sigourney Weaver and Joel David Moore traveled to the Xingu River in 2010 accompanied by Amazon Watch. They visited indigenous and riverbank communities who would be adversely affected by the Belo Monte Dam Complex. Moved by the parallels between Avatar and the frontline battles taking place in the Amazon, Cameron made a commitment to support the campaign led by local populations along the Xingu and bring this story to global audiences.

Mitchell Anderson who was in Berlin to accept the Award on behalf of Amazon Watch said, "I hope that the recognition from Cinema for Peace will further shine the global spotlight on the monumental struggle for the future of the Amazon. Tonight, I have a message to share from the legendary Kayapo Chief Raoni to President Dilma: My people don't want the Belo Monte dam."

The $17 billion Belo Monte dam project would divert nearly the entire flow of the Xingu River along a 62-mile stretch; its reservoirs would flood more than 100,000 acres of rainforest and local settlements, displace more than 40,000 people and generate methane – a greenhouse gas 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. The dam project is one of more than 60 dams the Brazilian government plans to build in the Amazon over the next 20 years.

The Xingu River is considered sacred by the indigenous peoples who inhabit the region. They together with the riverbank settler populations are determined to defend their sacred river and their way of life and are asking the world to join them in stopping the dam.

Opposition to the dam is growing within Brazil. Just last week, hundreds gathered in protest in Brasilia to deliver more than 600,000 signatures against the construction of the Belo Monte Dam. Protests were sparked by Brazil's environmental agency IBAMA's recent decision to grant a "partial license" despite overwhelming evidence that the dam-building consortium Norte Energia (NESA) has failed to comply with dozens of required social and environmental conditions. The decision followed the controversial resignation of IBAMA's president Abelardo Bayma, who allegedly departed amidst intense political pressures from President Dilma to approve the license.

While Dilma reportedly sees the dam projects as potentially the biggest achievement of her presidency, the controversy is fast becoming a serious challenge to her leadership and has fueled the debate about Brazil's energy future.

Studies by respected Brazilian energy experts have shown that by investing in energy efficiency between now and 2020, electricity demand will be reduced by 40 percent. Studies have shown that renewable energy is economically viable for Brazil and could account for 20 percent of country's electricity by 2020, compared to only 1.3 percent today. Such a move would create 8 million new jobs, far more than the Belo Monte Dam.

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