Robert De Niro criticizes Donald Trump and talks about “the banality of evil” in ‘Killers Of The Flower Moon’ – Deadline

“Risking at this age, what else can I do?” radiant Martin Scorsese in it cannes press conference for Moonflower Killers.

The director appeared with the stars Leonardo Di Caprio, robert deniroLily Gladstone and Osage Nation leader Chief Standing Bear to talk about how they tried to draw attention to the atrocities that occurred with the oil-rich Osage Nation in the early 1920s, which was close to the massacre of Blackwall Street. .

Robert De Niro drew a parallel between what happened to the Osage Nation and the recent tragedy of George Floyd, which occurred during the donald trump presidential administration, a politician the Oscar winner has often criticized.

Commenting on his character William Hale, a lynchpin in Osage Tulsa society who seemed like a friend to people but was their enemy, De Niro explained: “I don’t know much about my character. People do things. It has to be charming. They have winning people. Why does he betray them all?

“After George Floyd with systemic racism – that is – what happens there; what we never knew about the Black Street Massacre, is the banality of evil. These are the things we have to take care of,” continued the Oscar winner.

Then pointing a laser at Trump, “We see him today, we all know what I’m going to talk about, but that guy is stupid. Hale was smart in a lot of ways, but he’s systemic.”

“Look with Trump! There are people who think they can do a good job,” criticized De Niro.

RELATED: ‘Killers Of The Flower Moon’ Receives Nine-Minute Standing Ovation At Cannes World Premiere

Leonardo Dicaprio who plays Ernest Burkhart in the film, who finds himself embroiled as the culprit behind the massacre, and who falls in love with Osage native Mollie played by Lily Gladstone, said: “What Marty does incredibly well is he expresses the most twisted character and sinister that you can imagine”. , and bring out the human condition.”

When Scorsese wanted to adapt David Grann’s novel, Chief Standing Bear encouraged the filmmaker to make sure he was going to tell a story about trust and betrayal between Mollie and Earnest. “My people suffered a lot, those effects are with us. I can say on behalf of the Osage that Martin Scorsese has restored trust,” Chief Standing Bear said to loud applause in the Cannes press room.

DiCaprio was originally going to play the federal agent in the film, Tom White, played by Jesse Plemmons. However, the actor kept asking Scorsese where the heart of the story was. Scorsese, after meeting extensively with the Osage Nation, was inspired to write about Earnest, the least written about character in a tale of tragedy, love and betrayal.

Gladstone praised Scorsese and DiCaprio for their “artistic souls” in caring about the problems of the Osage Nation, a gesture that transcends what many anthropologists do.

“Steering the big lens, the golden lens at areas of our communities, we’re talking about 1920s Black Wall Street and Tulsa. We’re talking about a lot of that in our movie. Why doesn’t the world know about these things? Our communities always have,” said the actress.

He addressed DiCaprio during the press conference, saying the actor approached the situation “as a human being, not as a person who studies.”

Just as he made a movie about a group of people invading another’s, Scorsese was asked to comment on the situation in Ukraine and Russia’s aggression.

“Obviously, I’m very nervous about Russia’s aggression, I’m very nervous about that whole area…the younger generation doesn’t remember World War II, they don’t remember the Balkan nations and what happened there between Poland, the Russians. and Germans and the eighteenth century with Poland and Napoleon. The area has always been disputed,” said the director.

“There is a sense of supporting countries that are attempting some democratic process. It has to do with the value of how you live. The freedom to speak is the most important thing, really. It doesn’t mean yelling fire in a crowded theater when there’s no fire, but the freedom to express yourself and live a life,” Scorsese added.

The last Scorsese was in Cannes with a world premiere was in 1986 with After hours for which he won Best Director. Of the films that premiered here in Cannes are from 1983 The king of comedy 1975 Alice doesn’t live here anymore and 1976 Taxi driver which won the Palme d’Or.

Outside the gate here in Cannes, Moonflower Killers is 96% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes based on 27 reviews. The photo received the longest standing ovation yet at the 76th Cannes, clocking in at nine minutes.