(RNS) — A new movie about a faithful little girl, oil and Oklahoma shares seldom-heard Black history.
Sarah Rector, the title character of the biographical film “Sarah’s Oil,” was born in 1902 in Oklahoma Indian Territory and, like other African Americans in that time and place, was a descendant of Creek Freedmen, who were enslaved by the Muscogee (or Creek) Nation. She was allotted 160 acres of land under the Dawes Act, and at 11 years old, the film depicts her as being certain that God has told her there is oil underneath it.
The movie, which opens in theaters (Friday) Nov. 7, was inspired by the 2014 book “Searching for Sarah Rector: The Richest Black Girl in America” and is a joint project of Amazon MGM Studios and two faith-based studios, Wonder Project and Kingdom Story Co.
“Most people thought the land was worthless — no good for anything but tomatoes and snakes,” Sarah says in the movie, where the main character is portrayed by actress Naya Desir-Johnson. “My pa said we had to sell it. But I was determined to keep it.”
RELATED: As ‘What If…’ returns to theaters, Dallas Jenkins recalls finding his Christian movie calling
The movie, dubbed “inspired by a true story,” also depicts oil company executives, a judge and wildcatters, such as one portrayed by Zachary Levi, known for playing the lead character in the NBC series “Chuck.” His character, Bert, joins forces with Sarah to see if her belief in the riches of h …