Oscars deny spotlight on Indigenous natives in films

It was Mothers Day in the United Kingdom, the beginning of Daylight Savings Time in America and an anticipated red-carpet precursor to the 96th annual Academy Awards.

For an entire indigenous Native population here and Canada, it was also a defining time frame when revolutionary actions in the film industry could have changed history with a victory for best actress Oscar nominee Lily Gladstone.

Winner in the same category of a Golden Globe Award earlier this year, the Native American — from the Blackfeet tribe — who starred in the movie “Killers of the Flower Moon” was denied the coveted prize many insiders were convinced she owned after registering a stellar performance, which won critical acclaim.

Directed by Martin Scorsese, the film stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert DeNiro and is based on a book by David Grann.
The storyline focuses on an investigation of murders of dozens of Osage people in Oklahoma in the 1920s. The film also spotlights greed, wealth, conspiracy, racism and the FBI.

Lily portrays Mollie Burkhart, a character whose affinity to the lead provides controversy to the document.
Reportedly, despite initial resistance from Native Americans, eventually Scorsese won favor with tribal leaders who cooperated with the project. In fact, allegedly, members of the Osage Nation endorsed Gladstone’s authentic portrayal — some even yielding to public exposure of their private rituals and ceremonial practices.

With 10 nominations tallied as endorsements to the topical feature showcasing one of America’s shameful past, the first Native American Best Actress winner seemed a possibility — particularly in Women’s History Month.
However, in the final moments of the three plus broadcast hours on Sunday, an upset ensued when “Poor Things” star Emma Stone was announced winner of the category.

Earlier in the West Coast presentation the same fate met 66-year-old Scott George, an Osage Nation songwriter who was nominated in the Best Original Song category for “Wachzhazhe (A Song for My People).”
George appeared onstage the gala to perform his composition.

Although the song received national spotlight with a performance from The Osage Tribal Singers, George lost to Billy Eilish whose tribute to “Barbie” copped the golden statuette.
The rendition found Eilish accompanied by her brother Finneas O’Connell on keyboards playing “What Was I Made For.”
That victory established a historic gain for the teaming as the youngest, two-time Oscar winners in history.
Still it seemed, the drumming and singing tribal viewing proved an unprecedented feature to the annual often-criticized Caucasian-predominant spectacle. The 2024 presentation rewarded a mostly-white cadre of local and international thespians, directors, producers and technical talents.

At the end of the broadcast only two gains in the industry tallied wins for Blacks. First-time filmmaker — 40-year-old writer and director Cord Jefferson of “American Fiction” scored for his gender and Da’Vine Joy Randolph who featured in the movie “The Holdovers,” represented the month’s heralded.
Jeffrey Wright, Sterling K. Brown, and Colman Domingo were all denied victories.

Emcee Jimmy Kimmell ended the show by reading an email he attributed dispatched by former President Donald Trump who he said rated his poor performance.
The nighttime TV host said the critique was the highlight of his hosting.
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