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Sarah’s Oil’ Opens in Theaters, Reviving Sarah Rector’s Faith‑Fueled Fight Over Oklahoma Oil

Input from Rector relatives, historians, author Tonya Bolden anchors a faith-centered retelling of Oklahoma oil-era injustices.

Overview

  • The PG-rated feature opened nationwide on Friday, Nov. 7, with an exclusive theatrical release.
  • The film dramatizes 11-year-old Sarah Rector, a Creek Freedmen descendant allotted 160 acres, whose conviction that oil lay beneath her land drives the story.
  • Amazon MGM Studios partnered with Wonder Project and Kingdom Story Co., adapting Tonya Bolden’s 2014 book and drawing on public records, newspapers, and cultural advisers.
  • Newcomer Naya Desir-Johnson’s lead turn drew praise from Variety, while Zachary Levi co-stars as wildcatter Bert Smith after championing the project.
  • The narrative spotlights period racism tied to oil claims, reflecting documented violence that pushed the Rector family to Kansas City, where her legacy includes the Rector Mansion’s ongoing preservation efforts.