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1-50 of 54
- Short subject documentary by Julien Nitzberg about the legendary "psychobilly" musician and infamous wild man Hasil Adkins. Filming takes place in Adkins' own yard, his shack, and at various concerts. Adkins is notable for helping create an entirely new form of rock/rockabilly/country fusion, which he plays entirely by himself (with a guitar and drums simultaneously).
- The story of a young boy trying to decide if he wishes to work in the coal mines like everyone else in his town or leave for the big city.
- For Nixon's first public appearance since resigning the presidency, Richard Nixon chose the small mountain community of Leslie County, Kentucky.
- A look at the reaction and aftermath of the murder of a documentary filmmaker in rural Kentucky in 1967.
- Filmed over an 8-year period in the mountains of east Tennessee, interior Mexico, and Ciudad Juarez, Morristown: in the air and sun is rooted in the authentic expression of workers who speak about their lives, work, disappointments, and hope. These conversations are combined with scenes in factories, fields, union halls, Mexican stores, city parks, and employment agencies. The documentary travels to the U.S.-Mexican border (El Paso - Juarez) to create deeper understanding of factory flight out of Morristown, and to interior Mexico to look at the forces that cause immigration. Morristown ends with a stunning union victory at a large poultry processing plant in Morristown, Tennessee.
- A look at the Buffalo Creek disaster, which occurred when a coal-waste dam collapsed. Includes interviews with survivors, mining officials, and union representatives, along with footage of the flood itself.
- A short film documenting the independent truckers hauling cola in Kentucky
- Hitchhiking home from the movies at age 9, going for a joy ride with an uncle at age 14, or giving a ride home to the woman of his dreams at 23 are three events that change Wilgus Collier and those around him. Starting from the 1950's up to a tie-dyed 1969, this movie presents a humorous and poignant perspective on the significant moments of daily life.
- The Electricity Fairy is a documentary that examines America's national addiction to fossil fuels through the lens of electricity. The setting for this story is Wise County, Virginia, in the heart of the Appalachian coalfields. This region exports both coal and electricity, and the rugged mountain landscape provides an intimate view of national energy issues. Coalfields that began to be developed a century ago are nearing the end of their productivity, demonstrating the finite nature of fossil fuels. Remaining coal seams are increasingly difficult to mine, requiring radical techniques, including the removal of entire mountain tops, to access narrow seams of coal. Air and water pollution from coal mines and the power plants they supply spreads beyond the region and contributes significantly to global warming. Yet the economy of Wise County, like the economy of our nation, remains inexorably linked to coal and fossil fuels. During the fall of 2006, Dominion Power, a utility that describes itself as "one of the nation's largest producers and transporters of energy," proposed construction of a new coal-fired power plant near St. Paul, Virginia. Local politicians project that the plant will produce more revenue than all of Wise County combined. Opponents say the plant will release dangerous amounts of mercury, sulfur, and carbon dioxide. The debate over the proposed Virginia City power plant can be seen as a microcosm of the national energy debate. Dominion and the plant's supporters project that electricity demand in Virginia will increase by 40% in the next 20 years, and that this plant will help meet that need. Coal is currently the nation's most abundant source of electricity. However, increased concern about global warming has lead scientists, environmental groups, and some politicians to call for a ban on new coal plant construction. Wise County is firmly in the crosshairs of the national debate over the future of coal. After a series of heated public hearings, the Virginia Air Board approved the air permit required for Dominion to begin construction of the power plant. Still, citizens are working to oppose the plant and create a sustainable local economy.
- For over 50 years, Ralph Stanley's banjo playing, haunting tenor voice and tradition-inspired repertoire have epitomized old time bluegrass music. This documentary explores Stanley's musical roots in the Clinch Mountains of Virginia, the early days of The Stanley Brothers, and Ralph's decision to continue on after the untimely death of brother Carter.
- Using funny, often poignant examples, Strangers and Kin shows the development and effect of stereotypes as technological change collides with tradition in the Southern mountains.
- Shortly after midnight on October 11, 2000, a coal sludge pond in Martin County, Kentucky, broke through an underground mine, propelling 306 million gallons of sludge down two tributaries of the Tug Fork River into the Big Sandy. The Martin County sludge spill killed all aquatic life along 30 miles of river, damaged municipal water systems, and caused millions of dollars in property damage. Appalshop filmmaker Robert Salyer follows the government agencies and community members through their clean up efforts and their attempts to understand the causes of a disaster 30 times larger than the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Filmed over four years, the documentary chronicles the aftermath of the disaster, the Mine Safety and Health Administration whistle blower case of Jack Spadaro, and the looming threat of coal sludge ponds throughout the Appalachian mountains.
- The Carter family first came into international fame in the 1920s and '30s through the records and radio shows of A.P. Carter, his wife Sara, and sister-in-law Maybelle, who spread the music of the southern mountains around the world.
- Letters from Wallens Ridge prison poured into the WMMT radio station, describing human rights violations and racial tension between staff and inmates. This documentary investigated the prison and its impact on prisoners and staff alike.
- This portrait follows preschoolers in Booneville, KY. With local employment largely limited to the school system, these children have caring and competent adults preparing them for better futures.
- A film version of Roadside Theater's highly acclaimed play, Red Fox/Second Hangin' is the story of M.B. "Doc" Taylor, called "the Red Fox."
- Strip Mining: Energy, Environment and Economics looks at the history of this controversial mining method, the citizens' movement organized to stop it, and the battle to regulate strip mining.