Who was John Refoua? ‘Avatar’ Film Editor Dead At 58

John Refoua was an American film editor who was a known collaborator of James Cameron. He worked on both Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water. He also worked on the Titanic Documentary, Ghost of the Abyss, and others.

Born on December 8, 1964, John Refoua started his career in film editing on television in the ’90s. He worked on numerous shows including Law & Order, All McBeal, Touched by an Angel, and more.

He also worked on several movies and tv shows including Olympus Has Fallen, The Equalizer, Southpaw, The Magnificent Seven, Transformers: The Last Knight, and more.

Refoua died on May 14, 2023, after battling complications with cholangiocarcinoma, a rare bile duct cancer. He was 58 years old. His death was announced by his wife, Selena Bell in an official statement.

“Dear friends, my brilliant, sweet, creative husband John Djahanshah Refoua passed away last night, May 14 surrounded by family and friends who loved him. He was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma, a rare bile duct cancer, 15 months ago. Despite the pain and complexities of this aggressive disease, he faced it with courage and grit. He continued to work and edit on James Cameron’s Avatar 3 right up to his final weeks,” she wrote in the post.

“His life’s trajectory was quite unique and anything he touched, he made better. He loved music, movies, politics, traveling, vintage cars, science fiction, and his 4-year-old granddaughter, Avery Sophia. We will miss his generosity and wisdom. A celebration of John Refoua’s life is being planned and details will be posted. Thank you to everyone who helped him and spent time with him this last year,” she added.