To one of our amazing supporters, whoever you are, thank you so much for the subscription! <3 Hats off to you, kind sir/ma'am, for supporting this movement so wholeheartedly.

PROTEST IN SAN FRANCISCO [link]
July 9th and 10th!
Where: AMC on Van Ness
When: 12noon-4pm
For more information, contact Catherine at promote@racebending.com!

Los Angeles Times covers Live Airbender Protest [link]
"Since the "Airbender" casting became known in December 2008, Asian-American activists as well as the TV show's fans have called for a boycott of the film. They harnessed the Web to promote their cause, particularly through the site Racebending.com. On Thursday, protesters took to the streets. The crowd, which included over 100 at its peak and otherwise numbered 50 or 60, was drawn from supporters of three L.A.-based organizations -- Racebending.com, the Korean Resource Center and Media Action Network for Asian Americans (MANAA). According to Marissa Lee, a founder of Racebending.com, the turnout at the protest was exactly what its organizers hoped for.

"We can’t change the movie, so it's a symbolic demonstration," she said. "We want to send the message to Hollywood that its casting practices are no longer accepted by the public." "

MANAA covers live protest at Arclight July 1st! [link]<---CLICK FOR MORE PICS
Media Action Network of Asian Americans, Los Angeles, California

To the 100+ Racebending.com supporters who came out to the protest, THANK YOU!

















--------------------------
02/07/2010 Aaron Ehasz talks The Last Airbender [link]
CNN.com published the article 'Did the 'Airbender' adaptation ever have a chance?', in which they speak to A:TLA series writer Aaron Ehasz:

    "We tried to be as careful as we could not to directly base anyone's culture on a [real world] culture because we wanted to borrow ideas," said head "Avatar" series writer Aaron Ehasz. "The series is clearly Asian inspired with obvious Chinese influences. In the case of the water benders, they are definitely based [on] ... indigenous cultures, a la Inuits, but also indigenous people like those portrayed in the movie "The Whale Rider."

Dante Basco on The Last Airbender Boycott [link]
"The fact of the matter is, in Hollywood… it’s not fair. It’s not fair at all, the tables are tipped unfavorably for ethnic actors. The percentage of roles for ethnic actors to white actors is something to the effect of: in 100 roles, there may be 12 roles for black actors, maybe 7 for latin actors and only maybe 2 for asian actors. And with stats like this, its a little distressing that when actual roles for  Asians come in a big budget film, they don’t get cast. I think it’s a missed opportunity for the voice and the face of the Asian community, when will a project like this and of this magnitude come along again? See, we wonder why there are no real Asian stars in America, part of the reason is because of things that happen like this. Stars don’t just happen out of thin air, Hollywood helps make them. This was an opportunity to give the chance to some Asian kids to become stars for the future generation and we missed it."

Video review by the fans:
"FANS UNLEASH EPIC HATE FOR THE LAST AIRBENDER" [link]

M Night Interviewed by Washington Post [link]
    JC: Does it offend you that they’re defining Asian in what you perceive as a limited way when you consider yourself Asian?
    M. Night: I think it’s convenient for their argument. Their issue isn’t with me. Their issue is with the artists that invented anime. The story of "The Last Airbender" is an ambiguous story. These cultures are not defined. There is no Inuit woman who looks like Katara. That’s not the reality of things. That’s not the way they’re drawn. Talk to the people who drew them. That’s not the way they’re drawn. Talk to the people who drew them.*

*Which is why Racebending.com has been in contact when several of the Avatar: the Last Airbender staff members for months. Observe:

On July 31st, 2009, Animatic Director Dao Le of Avatar: the Last Airbender stated:
It’s been a huge disappointment to hear about the casting for Avatar’s live-action movie. The show was heavily influenced by Asian culture, some of the characters were even modeled after Asian members of the crew. But now, with the pre-dominantly white cast, it feels like all the Asian/Eastern influences, origins, what have you, were just a backdrop for these characters. But I always believed they were Asian, or even mixed Asian. And that belief added a little extra pride in working on such a great show. The appreciation Mike & Bryan had for Asian culture, the interest it generated in the fans, gave ME greater appreciation for my own culture.

So it’s just hard to believe they couldn’t find one Asian actor to hold any of the lead protagonist parts. Not one? This film is going to feel like some other Avatar story.

On July 7th, 2009, Cultural Consultant Professor Siu-Leung Lee of Avatar: the Last Airbender stated:
I won't be participating in the movie.
It is not only a disappointment on the cast. They are removing all the successful elements of the original TV series... I am disappointed to learn that the Avatar movie has removed the successful cultural elements of the original Avatar TV series. Whether this is a right decision will be seen in the box office."

Giancarlo Volpe [of Avatar: the Last Airbender],
who directed 19 episodes of the series, and martial arts and
Cultural Consultant Sifu Kisu [of Avatar: the Last Airbender]
have both publicly commented on the casting controversy. East West Players--a theater troupefounded by the late Avatar actor
Mako [Iroh of Avatar: the Last Airbender]
and comprised of several Asian American actors who starred or guest starred in the series--released a letter sent to Paramount expressing their disappointment with the casting [link] .

(new)On July 01, 2010, Dante Basco, Zuko of Avatar: the Last Airbender
expressed his disappointment in the casting practices at length in his public blog [link] .

(new)On July 01, 2010, Series Writer Aaron Ehasz of Avatar: the Last Airbender
weighed in on handling of culture in The Last Airbender [link]

ABC7 reports LIVE PROTEST! [link]

To the over a hundred protesters who came out and rallied with us, THANK YOU!

NY Magazine questions M Night on critic reviews [link]
NY Mag: Have you read the reviews for Last Airbender?
M. Night: No, I haven’t.
NY Mag: Well, are you aware of the reviews?
M. Night: No, actually.
NY Mag: Well, for the most part, critics have not been kind. Are you just ignoring them? Will you read them this weekend? Have you just not had time?
M. Night: Are you saying that in general they didn't dig it?

------------------------
July 01, 2010
Early reviews of The Last Airbender are up. Our condolences to Mike and Bryan and we hope this isn't remembered as their legacy...

Racebending.com was given a pre-screening the night before the Hollywood premiere. I think it's safe to say they called it.

P.S. The mods of Racebending.com discuss the treatment of race and gender in the film here: [link]

Full Movie Critic Reviews of The Last Airbender
[up to the minute]
_{Last updated: July 02, 2010}

Roger Ebert
"The Last Airbender" is an agonizing experience in every category I can think of and others still waiting to be invented.
The studios underlying assumption about marketability and acting capability of White over Asian actors is insulting, and to claim that their production is “diverse” because they cast Asians as secondary and supporting characters ignores the bigger issue at hand – the starring, main Asian characters are portrayed by White actors instead of Asian actors.

i09:
And I think everybody who has criticized Shyamalan for casting white actors as Asian characters in this film should admit they were wrong. Clearly, Shyamalan tried to cast Asians, but he just couldn't find any whose performances were lifeless enough.

Hollywood Prophets
I can only do my best from here, and look on in horror as tens of millions (or possibly just millions) head to the theater to see this film, potentially losing their urge to have intimate relations with their dates, and certainly dropping a wad of cash down that will feel beyond wasted as the credits roll.

Metromix Movies
Tedious, overstuffed, visually flat (and even darker and blurrier in the 3D rush job than it presumably is in standard 2D), emotionally inert, filled with painfully expository dialogue and mostly poorly acted, it’s simply an all-around misfire. If trying to condense 20 episodes of a small screen storytelling into a 100 minute movie sounds like a bad idea, that’s because it is.

Spill.com
As someone who has only seen a couple episodes of the show, I was able to predict this film within the first half hour. Shyamalan couldn't even throw in a twist? Of all things that M. Night Shyamalan knows what to do, it's a twist. Why couldn't he do it here?

Shadow and Act
The incomprehensible plot which jumps around from location to location without any logic or reason? The insipid, shallow characters? The amateurish acting? The clumsy, badly choreographed and edited action sequences? The crummy CGI effects? Or the awful, groan-worthy dialogue that’s at least 75% pure exposition? And in spite of that, you still can’t figure out what’s going on or who is who.

Twitter one-liner reviews:
2 Minutes ago via Touiteur

Film School Rejects tweets: No matter what you are expecting, you couldn't possibly imagine how bad The Last Airbender is.
If M. Night Shyamalan has accomplished anything, it's the most well-rounded failure of the year. 

Cinepam tweets: THE LAST AIRBENDER: Our methods of torture are four, no five: Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Endless Exposition. Oh wait, & wretched acting...

Screen Rant tweets: Screen Rant: I cannot believe I actually liked #Eclipse more than Airbender...

[will continue adding reviews as they surface, stay tuned]

Well there you have it, Shyamalan, Paramount. The critics and fans have spoken... and will continue to speak

And as I said, I will continue updating with reviews


~syonanto









June 29, 2010</u>
With just two days to go until The Last Airbender Premiere, we need all the support we can get from none other than you, our faithful supporters. It's been a long ride, and now it's time to come out and show your support!

All you have to do is pick 1, 2, or all five from below:

1) JOIN US on Facebook, Twitter and Livejournal

2) BOYCOTT WITH US -The Worldwide Event
You have the power to use your wallets, wherever you are.

3) SHARE OUR VOICE: Write to Film Critics about Racism in TLA!
Just two days left until the film release! Please contact your local critics and tell them about the casting controversy. One sentence, three, or a whole letter- absolutely anything you can do to help is much appreciated!

4) BUY A SHIRT
Support equal representation in style

5) PROTEST WITH US Live @theater [SEATTLE]

Thursday at 4:00pm
Regal Thornton Place 14 & Imax

[LOS ANGELES live protest] - email mike@racebending.com!
[NEW YORK live protest] - email mike@racebending.com!

We plan to give this copy [link] of the artbook autographed by Mike and Bryan to one of the fans who shows up at our fan gathering/protest on July 1st in Hollywood. Email mike@racebending.com for details. We hope you’ll join us!

If you are in Seattle, Los Angeles, or New York and want to participate in our protest events, please send ~aang-aint-white-plz a note or email mike@racebending.com!



<sub>As fans of the original television show, we still hold the highest level of respect for the Avatar: the Last Airbender animated series and its culturally nuanced depiction of an Asian fantasy world.

The series featured Asian characters in a fantasy setting inspired and informed by a variety of Asian cultures. The cast and setting were virtually unique in American media as a celebration of people and culture of Asian descent.

For American children, it was an opportunity to witness heroes and heroines of color – an opportunity that enriched all of us, regardless of ethnicity.

We know we cannot change the casting of The Last Airbender live action movie. But this is not the end of our movement.

We want Paramount Pictures – and all Hollywood studios – to know that supporting and hiring actors of color in prominent roles will help build passionate, devoted audiences. The appeal of Hollywood’s films will expand with greater attention to the face of modern America.-</sub>Racebending.com
</blockquote>