Pearl wins "Best of Show"

‘Pearl’ screening at International Cherokee Film Festival“Pearl,” the true story of a Chickasaw girl from Oklahoma who became the youngest licensed pilot in the U.S. in 1928, will be screened 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10 at the International Cherokee Film Festival at the Cherokee Hard Rock Hotel and casino in Tulsa.

The Chickasaw Nation recently won a prestigious “Best of Show” award from The Indie Fest for the feature film.

Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby said the story of the Chickasaw aviatrix was a natural for the tribe’s first feature-length film project.

“We made this film because it is important for people to understand the importance of Pearl’s story,” said Gov. Anoatubby. “Her story is about the importance of family and community as much as it is about her being the youngest pilot in the U.S.And:“This movie is about a strong Chickasaw woman, and it makes me very proud to be Chickasaw,” Paden said.

Pauline Brown, Chickasaw elder and culture preservationist, portrays Widow Harjo in the film.

“I think it’s good that they got so many Chickasaws for the movie,” she said. “It was set in Chickasaw country and Pearl was a great Chickasaw citizen.”

Ms. Brown’s son, Milton, plays Sharecropper Ishmatubbe in the film and many of her grandchildren were cast as extras.Comment:  For more on the subject, see Pearl Sells Out and Elijah DeJesus as Pearl.