We Will Speak (2023)
The Cherokee language is deeply tied to Cherokee identity; yet generations of assimilation efforts by the U.S. government and anti-Indigenous stigmas have forced the Tri-Council of Cherokee tribes to declare a State of Emergency for the language in 2019. While there are 430,000 Cherokee citizens in the three federally recognized tribes, fewer than an estimated 2,000 fluent speakers remain—the majority of whom are elderly. The covid pandemic has unfortunately hastened the course. Language activists, artists, and the youth must now lead the charge of urgent radical revitalization efforts to help save the language from the brink of extinction.
Directors: Michael McDermit, Schon Duncan.
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Keli Gonzales as Self |
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Carolyn Swepston as Self |
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Schon Duncan as Self |
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Marion Scraper as Self |
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Eda Scraper as Self |
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Durbin Feeling as Self |
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Clifton Petit as Self |
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Weynema Smith as Self |
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David Crawler as Self |
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Betty Frogg as Self |
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Clara Proctor as Self |
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Cora Flute as Self |
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Gil Jackson as Self |
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Oleta Pritchett as Self |
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Bo Lossiah as Self |
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Marlene Ballard as Self |
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Ann Arneach as Self |
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Gary Wayne Vann as Self |
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Howard Paden as Self |
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Colby Luper as Self |
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Ernestine Berry as Self |
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Ryan Mackey as Self |
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Krystan Moser as Self |
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Dehaluyi Gonzales as Self |
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Ashlyn Fullerton as Self |
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Agalisiga Mackey as Self |
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Olivia Wildcat as Self |
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TJ Holland as Self |
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JP Johnson as Self |
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Lukas Swepston as Self |
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Dakota Brown as Self |
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Carney Duncan as Self |
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Andrew Swepston as Self |
| Sound | Matt Miller | Music |
| Editing | Jacob Koestler | Editor |
| Production | Katherine Harper | Executive Producer |
| Editing | Kyungchan Min | Colorist |
| Production | Jacob Koestler | Producer |
| Production | Carol Anderson | Associate Producer |
| Production | Thomas Sadoski | Executive Producer |
| Production | Schon Duncan | Producer |
| Crew | Jacob Koestler | Post-Production Manager |
| Production | Derek Boonstra | Associate Producer |
| Production | Michael Mahaffie | Associate Producer |
| Production | John Helgeland | Associate Producer |
| Production | Leah Trznadel | Assistant Production Coordinator |
| Production | Mark Shlomchik | Executive Producer |
| Production | Michael McDermit | Producer |
| Production | Diana Baldovino | Executive Producer |
| Production | Dick Anderson | Associate Producer |
| Crew | Rory Crittenden | Second Unit Cinematographer |
| Production | Natalia Tararova | Associate Producer |
| Directing | Michael McDermit | Director |
| Directing | Schon Duncan | Director |
| Crew | Jacob Koestler | Cinematography |
| Production | Gill Holland | Executive Producer |
| Production | Laura Heberton | Producer |
| Production | Keli Gonzales | Producer |
| Production | Rory Crittenden | Associate Producer |
| Production | Ben Speiser | Executive Producer |
| Production | Wes Studi | Executive Producer |
