Coal Country - the movie: Film Debuts To Packed Crowd After Concerns Almost Cancel Showing

	A scene during the filming of the documentary Coal Country.

Coal Country, a documentary by Mari-Lyn Evans and Phylis Geller, premiered to a standing-room-only crowd at the WV Culture Center in Charleston on July 11.

The film was originally scheduled to screen at the LaBelle Theatre, but LaBelle officials canceled the showing at the last minute, saying they feared a run in between mountain toppers and mountain lovers although no specific threats were made.

There was a mad scramble to secure funds for the new venue. The publicity surrounding the LaBelle cancellation no doubt helped with turnout. People love a banned film.

Sylvester Dustbusters Mary Miller and Pauline Canterberry are the sweethearts of the film, captivating audience members. Maria Lambert and Kathy Parsons, from Prenter, help tell the story of coal-poisoned water.

Coal River Mountain Watchs Judy Bonds has loads of matter-of-fact zingers. OVEC board member Chuck Nelson offers the perspective of a former deep miner who understands the urgent need to transition out of the fossil fuel era.

From Coal Country, the movie: "Chuck Nelson is a retired union coal miner who spent 35 years underground. When Massey Energy built a processing plant in his home town of Sylvester, West Virginia, Chuck was horrified by the dust and debris threatening the town. He began to protest. He lost his job and his family home. In order to get health insurance, Chuck had to take a job for a non-union minerun by Massey Energy. Now Chuck works full time with the Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition (OVEC). We follow him as he helps organize another community trying to protect its land and water."

Scientist Michael Hendryx weighs in on the true and deadly costs of coal, as does Ohio farmer Elisa Young, while Joe Lovett explains the assorted court cases his organization, Earthjustice and Public Justice have filed for environmental groups.

The coal industry gets its say in the film, too. And at the Charleston screening, the coal supporters even got in their heckles.

In Akron on Sept. 12, at the Civic Theater, the film drew more than 1,400 people, but no hecklers.

Kathy Mattea sang to open the event. Oberlin College environmental scientist and OVEC friend David Orr introduced Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, who seemed to oppose mountaintop removal, even though he has yet to cosponsor S696, the Appalachian Restoration Act.

See next article for details on how you can help more people see Coal Country.