www.esquire.com: A member of the Osage Nation with a background in creating traditional, museum-quality regalia in her hometown of Pawhuska, Oklahoma, it’s easy to see why director Martin Scorsese and costume designer, Jacqueline West, asked O'Keefe to advise on the film. Based on David Grann’s nonfiction book, it covers a devastating period in the Native American tribe’s history, calling for a level of authenticity that Hollywood doesn't often hold itself to.
2 comments:
I actually got to see this movie, and the whole time I thought to myself that the costumes didn’t look like how Hollywood typically shows indigenous people, if they even do that at all. It had the nuance of not only what felt like an authentic costume but also how it intersected with not only the changing time but also their unusual circumstances. It makes perfect sense that the makers of this movie have brought on Julie Okeefe a member of the Osage Nation to aid in the costume's construction and design. Not only were they beautiful but after reading the article I now see the research and craftsmanship that went into making them. It is truly rare that you see a Hollywood movie pay such close attention to indigenous or other minority groups costumes. I hope this movie will serve as an example that representation and inclusion can be done, and can be done well. Not only that, but it made the movie better, it gave another depth to the characters, you could see how the characters were blending their culture with the new clothing of their assimilation. It gave the film a necessary amount of depth and I applaud the costume team on their “community project like no other”
I hadn’t heard of this movie or book until this week when in my English class we were discussing everybody's favorite book. It was so weird to come onto the blog site and see so many articles about the movie. Reading this article I am glad to see more authenticity and research going into creating a wardrobe for important movies like this one. Especially since these stories do not often get told it is important to do them authentically. As someone with Indigenous family members in the Zuni tribe, I am really happy to hear they are collaborating with Indigenous artists. The art and skill that goes into each and every piece an artist makes is absolutely breathtaking. I really enjoyed how the designer explained how the colonization and trauma that came with these missionary schools affected each character differently. It is a very clear representation of trauma and grappling with identity.
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