“After Coal,” Beyond the Big Screen

By Samantha Eubanks Appalachia has long been misrepresented in media. As a result, many filmmakers working in the region have made a push to ensure accurate portrayals of community members. One way the filmmakers are doing this is by including the input and feedback of documentary participants. In “Hollow,” a 2013 Peabody award winning interactive…

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Ada Smith: Giving Voice to Appalachia

By Kimber Ray Amidst the economic and social upheaval sweeping through Appalachia, art and media may seem like unexpected tools for approaching the challenges the region faces today. However, through her work with Appalshop — a media and cultural center in Whitesburg, Ky.— Ada Smith has witnessed how creating and sharing stories can empower communities.…

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Eco-Champions

  Eight Reasons Why The Future is in Good Hands Check out these Eco-Champions: • Chloe and Elijah Rose • Ben Stockdale • Olivia Stegall • Daniela Berry • Bailey Wells, Tristan Ginter and the West Carter Middle School Science Club • Birke Baehr • Ashley Phykitt • Cory Coots, Angel Hill, Ellie Hogg, Jade…

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Appalachian Documentaries

By Theresa L. Burris Residents of Appalachia have encountered prejudice through all types of media, some based on stereotypes of coal mining society. Fortunately, conscientious documentarians have surfaced over the years. They counter negative images of the region and examine the humanitarian struggles that come from the nation’s fossil fuel dependency and its inevitable consequences…

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Grassroots Filmmaking in Appalachia

By Tom Hansell Amazing documentaries come from the Appalachian region. From the Academy Award-winning Harlan County, U.S.A. to the recent premiere of The Last Mountain at the Sundance Film Festival, these mountains are full of compelling stories that have attracted documentary filmmakers from across the world. A great source of homegrown documentaries from the Appalachian…

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