Martin Scorsese ‘Killers of The Flower Moon’ Premiere at BFI LFF
The highly anticipated film “Killers of the Flower Moon” from legendary director Martin Scorsese had its UK premiere on Sunday night at the BFI London Film Festival. Scorsese and cast members including Lily Gladstone and Chief Standing Bear of the Osage Nation walked the red carpet before the screening at the Royal Festival Hall.
In his red carpet interview, Scorsese expressed disappointment that lead actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro were not able to attend the premiere. “It’s a good time for them to be here and to enjoy even if it’s just a moment of getting a picture taken together and you know everything they went through,” Scorsese said. “The film took the number years to make, the pandemic took its toll there’s no doubt took its stolen time and interruptions and but we finally got it done.”
Before the screening, Scorsese participated in a 10 minute Q&A moderated by festival director Tricia Tuttle. When asked about how the structure of the film differed from David Grann’s nonfiction book, Scorsese explained, “As Eric [Roth] and I were working on the script, I had difficulty in a number of things, one which the shadow of the American Western, which for me ended with [Sam] Pekinpah’s Wild Bunch, and then has become something else. But primarily, I found that, I was more interested ultimately in what was happening on the ground.”
Scorsese went on to describe how the perspective shifted from being about the FBI agents investigating the murders to centering the members of the Osage community affected by the murders. “Leo [DiCaprio] was to play Tom White and we were trying to find ways to make that very interesting because Tom White was a very straight laced, very powerful just as you see him here portrayed by Jesse Plemons and, ultimately spending time with the Osage in Pawhuska and in Greyhorse we learned that certain characters in the film the characters played by Leo and Lily Ernest and Molly were very very much in love and ultimately it was Leo DiCaprio who said where’s the heart of the film and I said the heart of the film is really Molly and Ernest.”
Chief Standing Bear spoke about what it meant for the Osage Nation to have their story told on screen after years of harmful stereotypes of Native Americans in film. “When Marty walks in to the first meeting and says we’re going to film here that started it off and building that trust like David [Grann] had done and it’s not just one meeting one dinner it there were several over a period of years and they were all so careful and we were too to build on a relationship and work together and the the movie exceeded our expectations and thank you,” Chief Standing Bear said.
When asked about casting Lily Gladstone as Mollie Burkhart, Scorsese praised her screen presence saying, “I think she’s when he said where’s the where’s the heart of the movie the heart of the movie is that’s love story between them and the and the, the soul of the movie is her it really is, it’s an incredible performance it’s an incredible film.”
Scorsese emphasized the care taken in portraying the Osage community with authenticity and respect. “It’s been a very special film for me especially over the years trying to get it and get it to, be in a shape that is a story I wanted to tell you know along with Leo and Lily Gladstone and dairo and Jesse plens and all the oage with us on this picture,” he said.
The film tells the shocking true story of a series of murders targeting members of the oil-wealthy Osage Nation tribe in 1920s Oklahoma, newly uncovered by an FBI investigation. Scorsese said he hopes the film resonates today, stating “It’s a special film for me, and I, I hope I learn something from it, you know.”
Killers of the Flower Moon will have a limited theatrical release in November before streaming on Apple TV+ in 2023. The London Film Festival premiere marks an early first look at what is sure to be a major awards contender this year. Scorsese’s epic drama promises to shed light on a disturbing history few are aware of even today.
The film will see the UK Cinema release on the 20th of October 2023.
Editor in Chief of Ikon London Magazine, journalist, film producer and founder of The DAFTA Film Awards (The DAFTAs).
