We Will Speak
With fewer than 1,500 fluent speakers left, a small group of Cherokee activists race to save their language from disappearing.
2023 | 94m | English
Popularity: 0.8 (history)
| Director: | Michael McDermit, Schon Duncan |
|---|---|
| Writer: | |
| Staring: |
| 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. | |
| Release Date: | Mar 23, 2023 |
|---|---|
| Director: | Michael McDermit, Schon Duncan |
| Writer: | |
| Genres: | Documentary |
| Keywords | indigenous, community, language, native american, cherokee, activism, linguistics, cherokee nation, language revitalization, united keetoowah band of cherokee indians, eastern band of cherokee indians |
| Production Companies | Blurry Pictures |
| Box Office |
Revenue: $0
Budget: $0 |
| Updates |
Updated: Feb 03, 2025 Entered: May 04, 2024 |
| Name | Character |
|---|---|
| Keli Gonzales | Self |
| Carolyn Swepston | Self |
| Schon Duncan | Self |
| Marion Scraper | Self |
| Eda Scraper | Self |
| Durbin Feeling | Self |
| Clifton Petit | Self |
| Weynema Smith | Self |
| David Crawler | Self |
| Betty Frogg | Self |
| Clara Proctor | Self |
| Cora Flute | Self |
| Gil Jackson | Self |
| Oleta Pritchett | Self |
| Bo Lossiah | Self |
| Marlene Ballard | Self |
| Ann Arneach | Self |
| Gary Wayne Vann | Self |
| Howard Paden | Self |
| Colby Luper | Self |
| Ernestine Berry | Self |
| Ryan Mackey | Self |
| Krystan Moser | Self |
| Dehaluyi Gonzales | Self |
| Ashlyn Fullerton | Self |
| Agalisiga Mackey | Self |
| Olivia Wildcat | Self |
| TJ Holland | Self |
| JP Johnson | Self |
| Lukas Swepston | Self |
| Dakota Brown | Self |
| Carney Duncan | Self |
| Andrew Swepston | Self |
| Name | Job |
|---|---|
| Jacob Koestler | Editor, Post-Production Manager, Cinematography |
| Matt Miller | Music |
| Rory Crittenden | Second Unit Cinematographer |
| Michael McDermit | Director |
| Kyungchan Min | Colorist |
| Leah Trznadel | Assistant Production Coordinator |
| Schon Duncan | Director |
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Laura Heberton | Producer |
| Rory Crittenden | Associate Producer |
| Diana Baldovino | Executive Producer |
| Michael Mahaffie | Associate Producer |
| Natalia Tararova | Associate Producer |
| Carol Anderson | Associate Producer |
| Keli Gonzales | Producer |
| Gill Holland | Executive Producer |
| Ben Speiser | Executive Producer |
| Katherine Harper | Executive Producer |
| Mark Shlomchik | Executive Producer |
| Michael McDermit | Producer |
| Jacob Koestler | Producer |
| Derek Boonstra | Associate Producer |
| John Helgeland | Associate Producer |
| Dick Anderson | Associate Producer |
| Wes Studi | Executive Producer |
| Thomas Sadoski | Executive Producer |
| Schon Duncan | Producer |
| Organization | Category | Person |
|---|
Popularity History
| Year | Month | Avg | Max | Min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2024 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| 2024 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 1 |
| 2024 | 7 | 8 | 24 | 1 |
| 2024 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 2 |
| 2024 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 1 |
| 2024 | 10 | 3 | 8 | 1 |
| 2024 | 11 | 2 | 7 | 1 |
| 2024 | 12 | 2 | 5 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| 2025 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2025 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2025 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2025 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2025 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2025 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| 2025 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 2025 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Trending Position