The screenplay of “The Time of the Blood Moon” was based on the non-fiction book “The Time of the Blood Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI” by David Grann from 2017. It tells about the murders committed against members of the Osedj tribe and the investigation that was conducted in this case in the 1920s.
“The Time of the Blood Moon” in cinemas. “A veil of love and compassion masking jealousy and disbelief”
In 2019, Martin Scorsese met with the leader of the Osage, Geoffrey Standing Bear, to ask him for cooperation in the production. Therefore, they worked on the set, among others: Native American Congress member Brandy Lemon as a liaison between the tribe and the film crew, and Native American language specialists. However, during the premiere of “The Bloody Moon”, one of them pointed out that the creators show this story from the point of view of a white man, not the victims – for example, Mollie Burkhart, whose family members were murdered (she was played by Lily Gladstone in the film). Christopher Cote told the Hollywood Reporter that he was nervous about what the end result would be:
As a member of the tribe, I would like it to be shown from Molly’s perspective and what her family experienced. However, I think that this would require someone from the Osedj family. Martin Scorsese did a great job portraying our tribe as No. 1, but this story is told by Ernest Burkhart.
The Daily Beast’s Anthony Perry, who is also Native American, also highlights this perspective. “What struck me most was the distinguished kindness of the white characters in Martin Scorsese’s new film ‘Bloody Moon'” – . “The ease with which they could comfort and kill their Osedi friends and families. A veil of love and compassion masking the jealousy and disbelief that people they considered ‘incompetent’ could live a better life than themselves. The Osedj people, at the heart of the film, persevered in the fight against constant attacks and genocide. These people were fighting to thrive in a world they did not create, with rules that were not their own. And yet they are not at the center of their own history,” he laments.
Native American: Normalizes violence against us
Sunrise Tippeconnie, a director from the Comanche tribe who also has Navajo and Cherokee roots, also talks about mixed feelings. He emphasizes that it’s good that the topic is being discussed, but adds: I would like to see the studio give $100 million or more to a person of color or of indigenous descent who are underrepresented [w przemyśle filmowym – red]. I don’t think that’s happening now, which is sad – . The budget of “Day of the Blood Moon” was $200 million.
In turn, actress Devery Jacobs, a native Canadian, also drew attention to the brutality and literalness shown by the filmmakers in connection with the murders. “I do not believe that these real people were given honor and dignity in the horrific portrayal of their deaths. On the contrary, I believe that showing so many murdered indigenous women on screen normalizes violence against us and further dehumanizes our nation,” she wrote on social media.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
