“King Coal” is one of the best movies I’ve seen depicting the people, places and culture of Appalachia. The film was shown as part of From the Hills and Hollers: Appalachian Stories Film Series on Feb. 8 at the Athena Cinema.
Initially, without knowing anything about “King Coal,” I was worried it was going to be a documentary that negatively portrays Appalachian people (poverty porn) before a sermon about coal’s impact on climate change and possibly includes a cameo from Al Gore. None of that could be further from the truth. It was an accurate presentation about the culture surrounding coal.
The film was filmed in several coal-mining states such as West Virginia, where I’ve lived and worked for many years. My children were born and raised there, and we had some good times in the Mountaineer State. “King Coal” showed me many familiar faces and places from my past as weaved a lush tapestry of life in coal country.
I saw places in the movie where I’ve walked the streets, such as Grafton, Charleston, Fairmont, and Logan. There was a scene where Cecil Roberts, president of the United Mine Workers of America, was being interviewed. I first met Roberts when he gave a rousing speech on Labor Day in Mannington. Later, Roberts spoke at an annual ceremony recalling the Farmington Mine disaster where 78 miners died in an explosion that was felt 12 miles away.
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