One of Hollywoodââ¬â¢s leading film directors has snapped up 2,500 acres of beautiful New Zealand farmland to build a home for his family. James Cameron, director of Avatar ââ¬â the highest grossing film in cinema history ââ¬â intends to build a property in Pounui Ridge, on New Zealandââ¬â¢s North Island.
While the government have welcomed Mr Cameron, who intends to film two sequels to the smash hit movie in the country, many New Zealanders are concerned about an escalating ââ¬Ëland grabââ¬â¢ by wealthy foreigners. Keep reading to learn more.
Locals concerned over foreign ââ¬Ëland grabââ¬â¢
Earlier this year, Cameron, director of films including Titanic and Aliens, spent an estimated $16 million (ã10.2 million) to buy 2,500 acres of farmland around Lake Pounui. The New York Times reports that ââ¬Ënow he expects to absorb its magic while creating some of his own in a pair of sequels that will build on the story of Pandora and on an ecological mythos that helped make Avatar, released by 20th Century Fox in 2009, the biggest-selling film of all time.ââ¬â¢
The New Zealand government has welcomed the purchase as it sees big budget Hollywood film-making as a growth industry. Mr Cameronââ¬â¢s permanent presence would almost certainly ââ¬Ëmove the dialââ¬â¢ of the national economy, said Steven Joyce, the countryââ¬â¢s economic development minister.
However, many locals are concerned that wealthy foreigners are set to build on the beautiful New Zealand landscape and restrict access for visitors. Cameron has already closed a small hall on his land that was previously used for wedding receptions, severing the public from what he now calls ââ¬Ëhis lakeââ¬â¢.
Commenting on Cameronââ¬â¢s deal, The Waikato Times said: ââ¬ÅHordes are bound to follow from Hollywood,ââ¬Â poking fun at the outcry by envisioning pristine hillsides ââ¬Åfestooned with trophy homesââ¬Â in an ââ¬Åobscene showcase of bad taste.ââ¬Â
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