Finally, a story of African American discovery, innovation, and resilience that results in fortune not failure, Sarah’s Oil premieresNovember 7.


Executive Producers: Russell and Ciara Wilson

Inspired by the remarkable true story of Sarah Rector (played by Naya Desir-Johnson), SARAH’S OIL tells the harrowing story of an African American girl born in Oklahoma Indian Territory in the early 1900s, who believes there is oil beneath the barren land she’s allotted and whose faith is proven right.


Naya Desir-Johnson stars as Sarah Rector in SARAH'S OIL, from Amazon MGM Studios. Photo Credit: Shane Brown © 2025 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.

As greedy oil sharks close in, Sarah turns to her family, friends, and some Texas wildcatters to maintain control of her oil-rich land, eventually becoming among the nation's first female African American millionaires—at eleven years old.


Naya Desir-Johnson stars as Sarah Rector in SARAH'S OIL, from Amazon MGM Studios. Photo Credit: Shane Brown © 2025 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Killers of the Flower Moon, directed by Martin Scorsese, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, and Lily Gladstone, was also set in 1920s Oklahoma and focused on a  series of murders of members of the Osage Nation (Native American) after oil was discovered on their tribal lands; the film received 10 OSCAR  nominations at the 96th Academy Awards (winning zero).


(L to R) Naya Desir-Johnson as Sarah Rector and Zachary Levi as Bert Smith in SARAH'S OIL, from Amazon MGM Studios. Photo Credit: Shane Brown © 2025 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Let’s see if Sarah’s Oil has the juice to deliver wins at the box-office and ballot box.

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Donnell Sims
Donnell Sims, Los Angeles–based film review contributor, offering thoughtful perspectives on cinema, storytelling, and visual culture.

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