The life and works of one of cinema’s most influential filmmakers will go on show at ACMI this week with the launch of the Australian-exclusive exhibition SCORSESE.
Minister for Creative Industries Martin Foley was at ACMI today as the final pieces of the exhibition were installed. The exhibition features hundreds of items that reflect on the director’s near 60-year career in film and television, which includes cinema classics such as Raging Bull (1980) and Goodfellas (1990), The Aviator (2004) and The Wolf of Wall Street (2013).
Organised by Berlin’s acclaimed cinema museum, Die Deutsche Kinemathek – Museum für Film und Fernsehen, SCORSESE is the first exhibition to focus on the career of the iconic filmmaker. ACMI is its only Australian destination.
The exhibition displays artefacts from Scorsese’s personal collection, film footage from across his extensive career, and objects collected by his frequent collaborators including Robert De Niro and Taxi Driver writer Paul Schrader.
In addition to his film, the exhibition explores the filmmaker’s upbringing and the influence of his beloved New York neighbourhood ‘Little Italy’. It features photographs of the Scorsese brood alongside items that hint at the creativity to come including storyboards drawn by the 11-year old Martin for a planned Roman epic. The aspiring director dreamed of casting Marlon Brando as his lead.
The exhibition also includes handwritten notes, annotated scripts and shooting diagrams that give insights into his creative process and hint at the man behind some of the most memorable movie moments in contemporary film.
Alongside the exhibition, ACMI will host a series of talks, workshops, education programs and film screenings that celebrate Scorsese’s career and explore his influence on generations of filmmakers across the globe.
SCORSESE will be open daily at ACMI from 26 May to 18 September 2016. For further details, visit
Quotes attributable to Minister for Creative Industries Martin Foley
“Recognised as one of cinema’s greatest living filmmakers, Martin Scorsese’s personal story is equally as inspiring as his film output.”
“From a young age, Scorsese had celluloid dreams and this exhibition shows how his early passion spawned a career that has stretched almost six decades - and counting.”
“ACMI, Australia’s only centre dedicated to the moving image - is the only place that could present this Australian-exclusive event. It’s yet another creative drawcard that will inspire Scorsese fans and another example of why Victoria is the creative state.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020