The Vanguard Award was presented to “Killers of the Flower Moon” Thursday evening while Eric Roth, a co-writer of the film, will receive the Creative Impact in Screenwriting Award Friday at Variety’s annual 10 Directors to Watch and Creative Impact Awards brunch.
Director Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone were presented with the Vanguard award Thursday night at the Palm Springs Convention Center. Roth will receive his award Friday at Parker Palm Springs.
“`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,” said Palm Springs International Film Festival Chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi in a statement.
The Vanguard Award has previously been presented to such films as “Green Book,” “The Shape of Water,” “Belfast,” “La La Land,” “Little Miss Sunshine,” “The Fablemans” and “The Trial of the Chicago 7.”
“Roth’s oeuvre is the stuff of legends and the legends seek him out, as exhibited by this year’s mighty true-life contender, `Killers of the Flower Moon,”’ Steven Gaydos, Variety’s executive vice president of content said in a statement.
“A huge canvas and a major production, telling a vital story about America’s appalling treatment of our indigenous peoples required a uniquely skilled voice, so directing legend Martin Scorsese called on Eric Roth to bring `Moon’ to the screen.”