The Cherokee Word For Water, a Mankiller Project, LLC , Production to Start Principal Photography in Oklahoma

The Oklahoma Film & Music Office (OF&MO) and the producers of The Cherokee Word for Water, a Mankiller Project LLC production, announced today that pre-production for the film has started in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Principal photography is scheduled to begin September 26, 2011 and last for four weeks. Shooting locations include the city of Tahlequah and its surrounding areas.

The Cherokee Word for Water is a feature-length motion picture inspired by the true story of the struggle, opposition, and ultimate success of a rural community to bring running water to their families by using the Cherokee concept of gadugi – working together to solve a problem. The movie is told from the perspective of Wilma Mankiller, the first female principal chief of the Cherokee Nation, and Charlie Soap, a full-blood Cherokee organizer and community advocate. The completion of the waterline and its success sparked a movement of similar self-help projects across the Cherokee nation and in Indian country that continues to this day.

“Wilma worked for decades to improve the quality of life for Indian people in this country,” says Charlie Soap, who became Mankiller's husband in 1986 and remained her community development partner for more than thirty years. “She cared deeply that Native and non-Native people see the positive side of our communities and wanted to leave a legacy that shows the resilience of Indian people.”   

The film is committed to using Native American talent both behind and in front of the camera, and will employ and train many Native people during all phases of production. Additionally, a majority of profits from the film will go back into community and economic development projects in Indian Country.

“I had the privilege of meeting with Wilma Mankiller in 2009 to discuss her plans for the film.  The months and years since have been a shining example of Ms. Mankiller’s philosophy to ‘never, never give up’ as the filmmakers have worked tirelessly to honor her legacy by getting this important project made. The Oklahoma Film & Music Office couldn’t be more proud to be involved,” says Jill Simpson, OF&MO’s director.

Funding and support for The Cherokee Word for Water has come from a wide range of sources that include, but are not limited to the Cherokee, Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations, as well as countless individuals, tribes, foundations and donations from family and friends all over the world. The film is also utilizing the Oklahoma Film Enchantment Rebate Program. Director Tim Kelly states "Oklahoma is such a big part of this story, it’s a character in this story on its own. When we learned about the rebate program and that it was going to make it possible for us to feasibly shoot our film here, we were overjoyed. With the talented crew and many resources in Oklahoma we are thrilled to be here."

Award-winning actress Kimberly Norris Guererro (Cherokee, Salish-Kootenai, and enrolled Colville), a native Oklahoman will play the role of Wilma Mankiller. Kimberly has appeared in numerous film and television projects including Hidalgo, Dreamkeeper, The Sopranos, Charmed, Escanaba in Da Moonlight, Northern Exposure, and she is best known for her immortalizing turn in the highly acclaimed television series Seinfeld as Jerry’s girlfriend “Winona” in the episode entitled “The Cigar Store Indian.”  www.kimberlynorrisguererro.com 

Actor, musician and motivational speaker Moses J. Brings Plenty (Oglala Lakota) will play Charlie Soap. Mo can currently be seen on Spike TV’s Deadliest Warrior: Crazy Horse v. Pancho Villa and in the DreamWorks blockbuster, Cowboys & Aliens. He has been in several film, television and theatre productions that include Rez Bomb, Hidalgo and Pirates of the Caribbean and he has appeared in a number of The History Channel’s movies such as Comanche Warrior, where he played the role of “Quanah Parker” and also in Who Killed Crazy Horse as “Crazy Horse.” www.mobringsplenty.com 

Writer/director Timothy Kelly is the co-founder of the San Francisco based production company Friday’s Films. As the writer/director of The Cherokee Word for Water he was one of the recipients of a SFFS/KRF Filmmakers Grant awarded by the San Francisco Film Society and the Kenneth Rainin Foundation. SFFS/KRF grants are awarded to filmmakers for narrative feature films with social justice themes that will have significant economic or professional impact on the Bay Area filmmaking community.

Serving as executive producer is the highly acclaimed film producer Paul Heller. Mr. Heller’s debut as a film producer was for David and Lisa, which received two Oscar  nominations and innumerable awards. He was the executive producer of the 1990's Oscar winner, My Left Foot, which earned five Academy Award nominations and Oscars for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress. He has worked with the likes of Bruce Lee, Elizabeth Taylor, James Garner, Mia Farrow, Clint Eastwood, Daniel Day-Lewis, Walter Matthau, and Jill Clayburgh, to name a few.

Producers include Charlie Soap and Kristina Kiehl. Kiehl was Wilma's longtime friend of over 25 years and organizer in the women’s movement for more than thirty years. Michelle R. Shining Elk, an enrolled member of the Colville Tribes, serves as the film’s casting director.

For more information about The Cherokee Word For Water, please visit www.cw4w.com and
www.facebook.com/thecherokeewordforwater 

The Oklahoma Film & Music Office, a division of the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department, works to attract film, television, video, and music industries to Oklahoma through an effort to promote and expand these values and interests within the state. The Film & Music Office is committed to providing critical support to filmmakers by assisting them with their production concerns. Additional information can be found at www.oklahomafilm.org