Oklahoma-made movie 'Killers of the Flower Moon' to be honored at New York's Gotham Awards

The cinematic awards season hasn't even officially started, but Martin Scorsese's Oklahoma-made epic "Killers of the Flower Moon" is already earning accolades.

The New York City-based Gotham Film & Media Institute announced Wednesday that the Oscar-winning icon's latest critically acclaimed movie will receive the Gotham Historical Icon & Creator Tribute at the 33rd annual Gotham Awards Ceremony.

Billed as "the first major awards show of the awards season," the Gotham Awards Ceremony is set for Nov. 27 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City.

The Historical Icon & Creator Tribute recognizes significant moments in history and honors the filmmaker and cast responsible for bringing the story to life in an authentic way on screen.

"Killers of the Flower Moon" stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro will be present when the movie's lead actress, Lily Gladstone, and the cast receive the tribute at the Gotham Awards Ceremony, according to a news release.

“Authentically and carefully crafted by one of our greatest filmmakers with respect and integrity, 'Killers of the Flower Moon' is a powerful examination of the history of violence bestowed upon the Osage Nation,” said Jeffrey Sharp, executive director of The Gotham Film & Media Institute, in a statement.

“At the center of the brilliant writing, impeccable set design, and extraordinary cast, Lily Gladstone delivers a tour de force as Mollie Kyle. We’re thrilled to honor Lily with the film’s cast members during the ceremony.”

Who is Mollie Kyle in 'Killers of the Flower Moon?'

Since it was released in theaters Oct. 20, "Killers of Flower Moon" has put on global movie screens a dark and often-overlooked chapter of Oklahoma history: The 1920s "Reign of Terror," a series of brutal murders of oil-rich Osage Nation citizens.

Filmed in and around Osage County in 2021, Scorsese's 3 1/2-hour fact-based drama is adapted from David Grann's 2017 best-seller “Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI."   

An Apple Original Films project with a reported $200 million budget, "Killers of the Flower Moon" focuses on Mollie Kyle Burkhart (Gladstone, who is NiMíiPuu, or Nez Perce, and Siksikaitsitapi, or Blackfeet) a real-life Osage woman who, along with her family, was marked for death in a vicious scheme to swindle away her oil money.

Also an executive producer on the film, DiCaprio portrays Mollie's treacherous husband, Ernest Burkhart, who gets caught between his love for his wife and the ruthless schemes of his powerful uncle, William K. Hale (De Niro).

"The residue and the remnants of the Osage Reign of Terror is generational, and it's still evident within the communities there in Oklahoma. We were there a century later, and a lot of the injustices are still occurring to this day," DiCaprio told journalists, including one from The Oklahoman, last week during a virtual press conference

"I just felt tremendous gratitude and appreciation that we got to tell this forgotten part of American history — and that just led us on a journey to tell the truth about who these characters were."

Why isn't 'Killers of the Flower Moon' nominated for any Gotham Awards?

The Gotham Film & Media Institute "celebrates and nurtures independent film and media creators."

IndieWire reports that this year the Gotham Awards removed its budget cap on entries, making big-budget films like "Killers of the Flower Moon," “Oppenheimer" and “Napoleon" eligible to be nominated.

But none of those films were submitted for Gotham Awards consideration, according to IndieWire, so they aren't among the Gotham Awards nominees.

Still, "Killers of the Flower Moon's" Gladstone is nominated for Outstanding Lead Performance, for her turn in director/co-writer Morrisa Maltz's independent road drama "The Unknown Country."

What other award is 'Killers of the Flower Moon' set to receive?

In January, "Killers of the Flower Moon" also will receive the Vanguard Award at the Palm Springs International Film Festival in Palm Springs, California.

The Vanguard Award is a group honor distinguishing a film's cast and director in recognition of their collective work on an exceptional film project.

Festival Chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi praised the "powerhouse ensemble performance" and called it "the must-see film of the year."

“'Killers of the Flower Moon' is a powerful and important film not only for its cinematic poetry, but also as a complicated story about the suspicious murders of members of the Osage Nation, one which fully illustrates the evils of racism and corruption," Chandi said in a statement.

The award will be presented to Scorsese, DiCaprio and Gladstone, who are all expected to be in attendance.

The Palm Springs International Film Awards will take place on Jan. 4 at the Palm Springs Convention Center, with the festival running through Jan. 15.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Gotham Awards to honor 'Killers of the Flower Moon' with icon tribute