TULSA, Okla. – Cherokee Nation’s efforts to grow the TV and film industry in northeast Oklahoma are paying off, with several incentive-supported productions premiering this fall.
These productions helped usher in more than $3.6M in spending within the Cherokee Nation Reservation and supported the hiring of 149 Native Americans for the projects’ development, pre-production, production and post-production phases.
Cherokee Nation was the first tribe to offer its own film incentive, which launched in 2022, and can be combined with the state of Oklahoma’s film incentive, as well as additional support from the Tulsa Office of Film, Music, Arts and Culture.
“The purpose of our film incentive is to help bring film and TV productions to our region, to utilize our resources and to hire our workforce,” said Cherokee Film Senior Director Jen Loren. “We have been very successful in that regard, and we are impressed with the impact these films have when operating here. That impact has rippling effects throughout the reservation and in our local industry.”
Headed to the big screen on Nov. 7 is “Sarah’s Oil,” from Amazon MGM Studios, which shares the true story of one of the first female African-American millionaires in Indian Country in the early 1900s. At just 11 years old, Sarah Rector turned a seemingly worthless land allotment into a future for her family through the discovery of oil, despite all odds against her. Cast includes Zachary Levi, Naya Desir-Johnson, Sonequa Martin-Green, Garret Dillahunt, Mel Rodriguez, Kenric Green and Bridget Regan.
The film is directed and co-written by Cyrus Nowrasteh and is the largest production to utilize the Cherokee Film incentive to date.
“Our story was meant to be shot in Oklahoma, which happens to rank among the top 10 film incentive states for growth in film and TV employment, total compensation, and average compensation per worker,” said John Shepherd, producer of “Sarah’s Oil.” “Thanks to the generous support of proactive partners like Cherokee Film, I rank Oklahoma first as well. We had everything we needed to make this project a success.”
For more information on “Sarah’s Oil,” please visit sarahsoilfilminspires.com.
Additionally, three productions from Tulsa’s Rebellium Films, led by Talia Bella and Randy Wayne, benefited from the tribe’s incentive program. Rebellium is an industry ally, helping advance Oklahoma as a production hub by offering full-service production, post and finishing.
The coming-of-age drama/comedy, “Everything to Me,” written and directed by Kayci Lacob, had a limited theatrical release on Sept. 5 and is now available to stream on Apple TV.
“Cottonmouth” is a western thriller set in 1895 in Indian Territory. It is directed by Brock Harris and is available to stream beginning on Nov. 4 through Apple TV, Prime Video and Google Play.
“The Beldham,” a psychological horror film written and directed by Angela Gulner, explores motherhood and intergenerational trauma. The film will be available to stream beginning on Nov. 7 through Apple TV, Prime Video and Google Play.
For more information, visit rebellium.tv.
