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Reservation Dogs actress Devery Jacobs talks about the depiction of violence against indigenous people in Martin Scorsese’s new film. Flower Moon Killer.
In a series of tweets on Monday, the actress, who goes by Kanien’keha:ka, described the film – which depicts the Osage murders – as “painful, grueling, unrelenting and needlessly graphic” and described watching the film as “fucking hellfire “. ”
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As a local, watching this film was hell. Imagine the worst atrocities committed against your ancestors and then have to watch a movie that is explicitly about them and the only break is 30 minute scenes of murderous white people talking about the murders/ they’re planning
— Devery Jacobs (@kdeveryjacobs) October 23, 2023
“Imagine the worst atrocities committed against them [your] Ancestors, then having to sit through a film that is explicitly filled [with] them, [with] The only break is 30 minute scenes of murderous white people talking about/planning the murders,” she tweeted.
In her tweets, she criticized Scorsese’s portrayal of the atrocity. Based on the 2017 book of the same name by David Grann, the film centers on the Osage people of Oklahoma after the discovery of oil on their land and the white settlers who targeted them because of their wealth. The film stars Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone – whose acting performance Jacobs praised for her portrayal of Mollie Burkhart, an Osage woman.
“While all the performances were strong, when one considers the proportions, each of the Osage characters seemed painfully repressed, while the white men were given much more civility and depth,” she wrote.
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I don’t believe these very real people were given any honor or dignity by the horrific depiction of their deaths.
In contrast, I believe that showing more murdered Native women on screen will normalize the violence perpetrated against us and further dehumanize our people.
— Devery Jacobs (@kdeveryjacobs) October 23, 2023
While she noted Scorsese’s “technical direction” and said she understands how depicting violence on screen “can create a brutal shock value,” Jacobs explained that she doesn’t think the Osage people are “deserved honor or justice.” “Dignity”. (Reps for Scorsese and Jacobs did not immediately respond to Rolling Stone’s request for comment.)
“I believe that showing more murdered Indigenous women on screen will normalize the violence perpetrated against us and further dehumanize our people,” she wrote, adding: “Indigenous people exist beyond our grief, trauma and atrocities.” Our pride in being indigenous, our languages, cultures, joy and love are much more interesting and human than showing the horrors white men have inflicted on us.”
Jacobs also acknowledged the Osage people involved in making the film and “how liberating” it must have been to make the film, but added that she would have preferred to see “an Osage filmmaker tell this story.” told” than someone like Scorsese.
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“All in all, after 100 years of portraying Indigenous communities in film, is this really the representation we needed?” She ended her thread.
“Killers of the Flower Moon” premiered on October 20 after screening at Cannes in May 2023. This weekend, the film opened at the box office with $23 million.