Ojibwe language version of Star Wars to hit Winnipeg theatres

Star Wars: A New Hope is rocketing back into theatres – in a completely new way.

For the first time ever, Star Wars has been translated and re-dubbed into Ojibwe.

"To translate all these futuristic terms into our language, which is very ancient, that was a huge challenge," said Pat Ningewance the lead translator for the project. "But also very exciting!"

The translators couldn't simply just use The Force to make the translation happen – it also required a rebel alliance so to speak.

Officials say the idea was pitched to Lucasfilm back in 2021, and a number of people worked to translate the iconic script into the Ojibwe language.

"The word for hyperdrive in English has two parts, the hyper which is super, super crazy. And then there's the drive part. So we, we basically just broke it down the same way," said Aandeg Muldrew, a translator on the project and the voice of Luke Skywalker.

Bringing those words to life was a different challenge for the voice actors. Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher are silver screen icons with very distinctive interpretations of the characters.

Theresa Eischen, the voice actor for Princess Leia, said she took her lead from the Hollywood stars.

"I recorded each line that Princess Leia said, as Carrie Fisher said them," said Eischen. "And then I would automatically say them in English first to get the sound, the way she sounded. Then I would say them in Anishinaabemowin. And it just came together after that."

The result is a new take on the galaxy far, far away --- one that people involved in the project believe will resonate with Indigenous audiences.

"Maybe some of them for the first time, get to see Star Wars and see and hear it in their Indigenous language, and connect with this story that is pretty universal," said Ajuawak Kapashesit, the voice of Han Solo.

The Ojibwe version of Star Wars: A New Hope debuts on Aug. 8 at the Centennial Concert Hall.

A couple days after, the movie will get a limited release in some theatres across Winnipeg and in other cities.