We Will Speak
"With fewer than 1,500 fluent speakers left, a small group of Cherokee activists race to save their language from disappearing."
Released 3 years ago in 2023. We Will Speak is a documentary film. directed by Michael McDermit.
Starring Keli Gonzales, Carolyn Swepston, and Schon Duncan
Synopsis
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.
Quick Facts
Release Date
March 23, 2023
2 years ago
Runtime
1h 34m
94 minutes total
User Rating
10.0/10
Excellent (1 votes)
Language
English
Original language
Country
United States of America
Production
Directors
Production Details
- Status
- Released
- Original Language
- EN
Production Companies
- Blurry Pictures
Frequently Asked Questions
What is We Will Speak about?
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 ...
Who directed We Will Speak?
We Will Speak was directed by Michael McDermit.
How long is We Will Speak?
We Will Speak has a runtime of 1 hours and 34 minutes (94 minutes total).
When was We Will Speak released?
We Will Speak was released on March 23, 2023 in theaters.
Who are the main actors in We Will Speak?
The main cast of We Will Speak includes Keli Gonzales, Carolyn Swepston, Schon Duncan, Marion Scraper, Eda Scraper.