Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon received 10 Oscar nominations on Tuesday, January 23, including an Original Score nod for the late Robbie Robertson, which is a bit bittersweet for the director.
In a statement, Scorsese describes the academy’s recognition of the film and his collaborators as “deeply gratifying,” noting, “It was a remarkable experience to make this picture, to work together with the Osage community to tell the story of a genuine American tragedy, hidden in the shadows of official culture for far too long.”
Regarding the Original Score nod, Scorsese adds, “I only wish that Robbie Robertson had lived to see his work recognized. … our many years of friendship and Robbie’s growing consciousness of his own Native heritage played a crucial role in my desire to get this film onscreen.”
Robertson’s mother was Cayuga and Mohawk, and he was raised in Toronto on the Six Nations of the Grand River reserve. The posthumous nomination makes him the first indigenous person ever to be nominated in the Original Score category.
Prior to Killers of the Flower Moon, Scorsese and Robertson worked together on 14 projects, including the Scorsese-directed concert documentary The Last Waltz, featuring Robbie’s group The Band.
Robertson passed away August 9 at the age of 80.
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