The renowned filmmaker Martin Scorsese shared his vision on the current U.S. elections, expressing that they could inspire numerous films due to the narrative that the media has built around the events. He highlighted that the press is creating a sort of film by documenting the entire electoral process, which could translate into multiple film productions in the future, as long as there is freedom to do so.
Scorsese made these statements before being honored by the National Archives Foundation for his most recent film, "Killers of the Flower Moon" (2023). In the same ceremony, actress Lily Gladstone and the author of the book on which the film is based, David Grann, were also awarded for their work on the story of the Osage Indigenous tribe.
The 81-year-old director revealed that he extensively referenced the archives of the National Archives and transcripts of recorded dialogues from the era to bring his film to life, describing the process as a living organism that evolved as he discovered new documents.
"Killers of the Flower Moon" is set in the 1920s and denounces the serial murders and exploitation suffered by the Osage tribe due to their oil-rich lands in Oklahoma. Despite receiving 10 nominations at the latest Academy Awards, the film did not win any statuettes; however, Grann emphasized the importance of the National Archives in accurately telling this story.
"I spent a couple of months dedicating hours and hours just searching through boxes, finding records," Grann stated about the hard documentation work that allowed him to bring the story to life on which Scorsese's film is based.
