Explore the History and Culture Behind Scorsese’s ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’

This story was created in paid partnership with Apple.

Martin Scorsese’s epic Killers of the Flower Moon has resonated with audiences around the world with its faithful and heartbreaking rendering of the Osage Nation in 1920’s Oklahoma. Now, Apple’s new virtual exhibit gives us the most intimate look yet into the extensive research and attention to cultural detail that have made this overlooked story of America feel so alive.

Since its worldwide theatrical release this fall, Killers of the Flower Moon has made a profound worldwide impact. Lily Gladstone’s monumental performance as Mollie Burkhart earned her a place in history as the first Indigenous actress to win Best Performance at the Golden Globes. The film picked up the top three prizes—Best Film, Best Director, and Best Actress—from the National Board of Review in December. And it’s been nominated for 10 Academy Awards at this year’s upcoming Oscars—including Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Picture and Best Actress for Gladstone.

The story wrestles with the darkness bubbling within America’s shared national heritage, and sees Martin Scorsese tackle themes of greed, betrayal, the complexities of love, and racial inequality, placing the Osage people and their history back at the center of their own story. “It was vitally important to me to get every detail right,” the director explained through an artist’s statement at the exhibit’s open. “There’s no way I could have or would have made it without the support of the Osage community. That was the only option for me—professionally, artistically, ethically, and personally.”

The gallery offers an up-close look at Jacqueline West’s Academy Award-nominated costumes, already iconic ensembles including Mollie’s wedding coat and top hat. Featuring a unique blend of 19th-century United States military garb, woven Osage belts, and a sweeping patterned skirt, the outfit exemplifies the immeasurable cultural fusions, both European and indigenous, that define the uniquely “Osage.”. By exploring the clothing virtually, the exhibit reveals intricate detail and historical context that aim to deepen the layers of Scorsese’s story. 

To ensure such detail and context – across clothing, mannerisms, and language – Scorsese worked with a broad team of Osage cultural leads, including Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear. Chief Standing Bear shared: “What I find most gratifying is, as Marty says, not only were there so many Osages working as extras and in front of the camera, there were so many Osages working behind the camera.”

Certain props on virtual display – such as the “Hump,” a traditional drum made with buffalo hide and painted yellow to represent the sun – offer more subtle moments that celebrate Osage culture. This drum, for instance, is quite literally the focal point of the film’s breathtaking final shot, as the community dances and sings to its beat. The history-making original song, “Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People),” is also among the film’s many Academy Award nominees. 

As the exhibit shows, every artifact throughout the film possesses a rich backstory or pays tribute to a piece of the Osage culture – underscoring the thoughtfulness and intentionality with which Scorsese brought Killers of the Flower Moon to life.

Explore the exhibit here.