John Refoua

John Refoua
Refoua in 2013
Born1960–1965
DiedMay 14, 2023
Santa Monica, California, U.S.
OccupationFilm editor
Years active1990–2023
SpouseSerena Refoua
Children1

John Djahanshah Refoua was an American film editor who graduated from Oberlin College in 1980 with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics.

He started his career as an editor in 1990, working on the television crime series Twin Peaks, where he served as an assistant editor for two episodes. After serving as the lead editor on an episode of the action series Raven, Refoua's work focused on television until his first feature film, Soft Toilet Seats in 1999.

When Refoua was hired as an editor for the series Dark Angel, he met producer and director James Cameron. The two collaborated on several projects, including Ghosts of the Abyss (2003) and the Avatar films. Refoua was nominated, alongside James Cameron and Stephen E. Rivkin, for Best Film Editing for Avatar at the 2009 Academy Awards. Refoua also worked on the television series New York Undercover, Touched by an Angel and Law & Order. Refoua died from complications related to bile duct cancer while working on Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025), which is dedicated to his memory.

Refoua was married to Serena Bell Refoua for 32 years. They share one son, Aaron James Refoua.

Awards

Refoua won two awards and was nominated for an additional eight.

Wins:

Nominations:

Filmography

Year Title Director Notes
1999 Soft Toilet Seats Tina Valinsky Co-edited with Robbie Adler, Lynel Moore, and Nancy Rosenblum
2003 Ghosts of the Abyss James Cameron Co-edited with David C. Cook, Ed W. Marsh, and Sven Pape
2007 Reno 911!: Miami Robert Ben Garant
Balls of Fury
2009 Avatar James Cameron Co-edited with Stephen E. Rivkin, and James Cameron
2013 21 & Over Jon Lucas, and Scott Moore
Olympus Has Fallen Antoine Fuqua
2014 The Equalizer
2015 Southpaw
2016 The Magnificent Seven
2017 Transformers: The Last Knight Michael Bay Co-edited with Mark Sanger, Debra Neil-Fisher, Roger Barton, Adam Gerstel, and Calvin Wimmer
Geostorm Dean Devlin Co-edited with Ron Rosen, and Chris Lebenzon
2022 Avatar: The Way of Water James Cameron Co-edited with Stephen E. Rivkin, David Brenner, and James Cameron
2025 Avatar: Fire and Ash Posthumous release; co-edited with Stephen E. Rivkin, Nicholas de Toth, Jason Gaudio, James Cameron, and David Brenner

Notes

  1. ↑ Attributed to multiple references:
  2. ↑ Sources differ about Refoua's birth year.

References

  1. 1 2 "John Refoua, Oscar-Nominated 'Avatar' Film Editor, Dies at 58". Yahoo Entertainment. 2023-05-17. Retrieved 2026-04-23.
  2. 1 2 Franklin, McKinley (May 16, 2023). "John Refoua, 'Avatar' Series Film Editor, Dies at 58". Variety. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
  3. 1 2 "In Memoriam – John Refoua, ACE". Edit Fest Global. 2023-08-11. Retrieved 2026-04-25.
  4. 1 2 "Losses" (PDF). Oberlin Alumni Magazine. Fall 2023. p. 55.
  5. ↑ "The 82nd Academy Awards (2010) Nominees and Winners". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. AMPAS. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved March 9, 2014.
  6. ↑ Tinoco, Armando (May 16, 2023). "John Refoua Dies: 'Avatar' Film Editor Was 62". Please note: This publication lists an age of death (62) which is not corroborated by other sources cited on this page. Deadline. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
  7. 1 2 Piña, Christy; Rahman, Abid (2023-05-17). "John Refoua, Editor on 'Avatar' Films, Dies at 58". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2026-04-23.