James Cameron keynote speaker

James Cameron is an acclaimed filmmaker, explorer, and environmental advocate.  As a director, writer, and producer, he is responsible for some of the most memorable films of the past three decades: THE TERMINATOR, ALIENS, THE ABYSS, TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY, TRUE LIES, TITANIC, AVATAR, and AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER.

AVATAR is the highest-grossing film in history, with more than $2.8 billion at the global box office. Camerons’ previous film, TITANIC, held that record for 12 years after its release in 1997. His films have earned numerous nominations and awards, most notably TITANIC's 14 Academy Award nominations (tied for the record) and 11 Oscars (also a record), including Cameron's own 3 Oscars for Best Picture, Best Direction, and Best Editing.  Cameron also won the DGA Award for directing TITANIC, in 1998.  Both TITANIC and AVATAR won Golden Globes for Best Director and Best Picture.  AVATAR was nominated for 9 Academy Awards and won 3.

During the last 23 years, Cameron has developed cutting-edge 3D camera systems for movies and documentaries, as well as for broadcast sports and special events. He was at the vanguard of the 3D renaissance that has transformed the movie industry.

AVATAR and its sequels were shot with cameras developed by Cameron’s company. Three out of four years in a row, the Cinematography Oscar was won by DPs using Cameron’s digital camera systems: AVATAR, LIFE OF PI, and HUGO.

Cameron has also developed unprecedented deep ocean exploration vehicles, lighting, and 3D camera equipment. He has led eight deep ocean expeditions from 1995 to 2012, including three to the Titanic wreck. He has dived that wreck 33 times and spent more than a hundred hours piloting small, remotely operated vehicles of his own design inside the wreck to create an archeological survey of the interior. His research has led to a definitive understanding of the forensics of the Titanic’s sinking

Other expeditions include the exploration of the German battleship Bismarck in 2002, and hydrothermal vents in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Sea of Cortez in 2002 and 2003. Cameron has spent more than 3000 hours underwater on scuba and in diving helmets and has made 75 deep submersible dives. He is a member of the Deep Submersible Pilots Association.

In 2012, Cameron led his eighth deep ocean expedition to some of the deepest trenches in the world. On March 26, 2012, he set the world’s solo deep diving record of 35,787’ in the Challenger Deep in a vehicle of his own design, the DEEPSEA CHALLENGER.

Cameron is a National Geographic Explorer at Large, and recipient of its most prestigious award, the Hubbard Medal, as well as the Explorer’s Club medal for Explorer of the Year.

Cameron has produced 12 documentaries, including the Emmy Award-winning Years of Living Dangerously and Secrets of the Whales, and the internationally lauded, The Game Changers.

Cameron is passionately dedicated to sustainability, having founded the Avatar Alliance Foundation to take action on climate change, deforestation, indigenous rights, ocean conservation, and sustainable agriculture. He has been 100% vegan for 10 years for environmental reasons. The AVATAR sequels' production was the first entirely vegan-catered motion picture set and was dedicated to being as green and sustainable as possible. It was powered by a 1-megawatt solar array installed on the studio roofs for that purpose. He founded Verdient, the largest facility for the dry extraction of plant proteins in Canada.

AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER was released on December 16, 2022, and quickly became the highest-grossing film of 2022.

Cameron is currently in post-production on AVATAR 3.