Which Martin Scorsese crime thriller won Best Picture and Best Director?

Which Martin Scorsese crime thriller won Best Picture and Best Director? The answer is The Departed.

Released in 2006, The Departed is a crime thriller set largely in South Boston. It follows two undercover figures: Billy Costigan, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, infiltrates an Irish mob crew, while Colin Sullivan, played by Matt Damon, secretly works inside the Massachusetts State Police for crime boss Frank Costello, played by Jack Nicholson.

At the 79th Academy Awards in 2007, the film won four Oscars: Best Picture, Best Director for Martin Scorsese, Best Adapted Screenplay for William Monahan, and Best Film Editing for Thelma Schoonmaker. The Best Director award was especially notable because it was Scorsese’s first personal competitive Oscar win after five previous directing losses.

A common mix-up is confusing The Departed with Scorsese’s other acclaimed crime films, including Goodfellas and Casino. Neither won Best Picture. The film itself is also a remake of the 2002 Hong Kong thriller Infernal Affairs.