GeoLink Nations in association with Behold Motion Pictures, has announced the red carpet world premiere of HESAYECV (The Savior), a groundbreaking feature-length film that tells the story of Jesus Christ in the Mvskoke language.
The premiere will be on Saturday, June 15 from 6-9pm CT at the College of the Muscogee Nation, 2170 Raven Circle, Okmulgee, OK 74447 in the newly constructed CMN Lecture Hall.
HESAYECV debuts as the first feature-length movie ever dubbed in the Mvskoke language, and the production team is hopeful that the film will aid and encourage language learning and revitalization efforts. This historic film features a cast of Muscogee Nation and Seminole Nation citizens who are native Mvskoke speakers, fluent speakers, and second-language learners.
Newly added scenes highlight a Mvskoke storyteller, played by former Seminole Assistant Chief (2001-2005), Mary Ann Emarthle, narrating portions of the film. The new scenes and Mvskoke dub recording was directed by Aaron Hanzel (Chickasaw/Choctaw) and co-produced by Jennifer Barnett (Muscogee/Cherokee).
The film features the voices of Darrell Proctor II, Edwin Marshall, Steven Whitecloud, Robin Soweka, Ben Yahola, Nelson Harjo, and many more. Also featured are portions of the original film score played with traditional cane flute performances by Nelson Harjo.
HESAYECV’s originated in 2018 when Rev. Bill Barnett contacted the filmmakers of The Savior who had already translated the film into 42 other languages, and expressed his desire to have a movie about Jesus in his native language. Barnett then assembled a group of native speakers to translate the film script into Mvskoke, including Mary Ann Emarthle, Jackson Barnett, Harris Cully, and Lillian Thomas. During production, Mvskoke language master Edwin Marshall (Reservation Dogs, Lawmen: Bass Reeves) served as the language coach in studio and provided additional translation to help make the often verbose Mvskoke language fit the time allotments of the movie scenes.