Avatar is the subject of an astonishing pop cultural paradox. A real juggernaut when it was released in 2009 with its budget of 237 million dollars, it largely accomplished its mission in theaters, bringing in nearly 3 billion dollars (only Gone with the wind may, according to certain calculations and taking account of inflation, claim higher revenues).
However, thirteen years after the release of what constitutes a cinematographic and industrial phenomenon, its imprint remains particularly discreet, including online. On Reddit, for example, a traditional meeting place for geek communities, just over 21,000 have subscribed to r/Avatar, the section (or “subreddit”) devoted to the film. To compare, Star Wars retains 2.6 “redditors”, Harry Potter 1.5 million and even the section of Reddit dedicated to the sci-fi series fireflybroadcast in 2002 and not renewed for lack of audience, has 136,000 members.
No news, no community
“The community is modest”, concedes Kelsey Dawn, known as Payì’i. She is the administrator of the subreddit and has a front row seat to see the evolutions of the fan community. For her, the dearth in terms of content partly explains such a lack of online engagement. “I found it strange that they didn’t make a series!, she judges. It’s a shame we didn’t get any new stories before the real first comics in 2017. Waiting all this time, I think was a missed act. »
Star Wars or Marvel, for their part, have meanwhile saturated the space by offering a continuous stream of series and feature films. The rarity ofAvatar is relatively unique, for a film that has been so wildly successful – to the point that some wonder if that’s what sets this universe apart. “Some believe it was this restraint that allowed James Cameron to preserve his creative intentions,” reports Payì’i, who regrets it all the same.
If, on Discord messaging, the server dedicated to Avatar offers a classic space for discussion and sharing, that of Kelutral.org is distinguished by a unique and studious approach. Created in 2020 in the footsteps of Learnnavi.org (which still has its own server), this site offers its 2,000-plus members the resources needed to learn the Na’vi dialect, spoken by the extraterrestrial species in the film.
Na’vi, language without equivalent
“Some aspects of Na’vi are difficult, especially when you come from English, but with a little practice you can reach a basic level of conversation in two or three months”says Seth Wright, alias Mako, one of the administrators of Kelutral. “There are similarities with Maori, Spanish and some Eastern languages in the way the words are arranged in the sentence. There are no real equivalents on Earth! » An early fan like many members of the Discord group, Mako has been learning Na’vi since 2010 and estimates it took six years to speak it fluently.
In addition to the great encounters he was able to make during his online course, he finds that learning a fictional language brings the same benefits as learning a more traditional language. “For me, it’s a way to commune with the universe ofAvatar, beyond what is shown on the big screen. When you learn another language, you immerse yourself in a culture, a way of thinking. It opens the mind to other possibilities, to different points of view on the world.he believes.
Language represents one of the most worked components ofAvatar. And this is not fortuitous: during the production of the first film, James Cameron asked Paul Frommer, professor of linguistics at the University of Southern California, to create this imaginary language from scratch. For a very long time, the dialect remained the only one to experience new things. A real oasis for fans: “Paul Frommer interacted a lot with us and filled in the gaps in the knowledge that we accumulated. It helped us expand the lexicon”Mako thanks him again. “It really helped to hold the community together during this crossing of the desert. »
Better “Avatar” than never
Year after year, the community hangs on and at the edge of a sequel, Avatar. The way of the water (released on December 14), which nevertheless took thirteen years to emerge, the hope of seeing its ranks expand is revived. The administrators also confirm it: the old ones who had lost patience are coming back and the new ones, who have discovered Avatar late, pass a head. “I looked at the stats, in January the subreddit had about 11,000 members. Today, we are at more than 21,000. We have had a very strong progression, it’s exciting! »rejoices Payì’i.
When asked what excites her the most about the new film, she replies: “the new sign language! There are two languages to learn now! » What to hold again thirteen additional years? This should not be necessary: according to Disney, owner of the license, Avatar 3, already filmed, is planned in the dark rooms for in two years.