Maria Lambert water intro from On Coal River on Vimeo.

http://www.ifp.org/gotham-award-independent-film-awards-nominees-announced/

http://edendale.typepad.com/weblog/2010/10/gotham-awards-2010-nominees-include-oscar-hopefuls-and-scorseses-public-speaking.html

This via ilovemountains.org:

Over the years, citizens have brought the truth about mountaintop removal to the offices of hundreds of decision makers across Washington DC, but this week, we’re taking the tragedy of mountaintop removal to a place they never expected: into their living rooms.

Last May, we launched exciting new project to show America the true cost of their electricity by teaming up with Ashley Judd to create a television commercial that uses the most talked about ad in America’s history – President Johnson’s “Daisy Girl” – to convey the severity of mountaintop removal.

After a summer of fundraising, and generous donations from supporters across the United States, the ad will show on local network and cable television stations across the Washington, D.C. area September 22-29th. This ad couldn’t come at a better time, as hundreds of people are getting ready to gather at Appalachia Rising and Voices From the Mountains in  Washington, D.C. Sept 25-28, 2010 to urge an end to mountaintop removal coal mining and a renewed vision for the future of Appalachia.

Don’t live in Washington, D.C.? Can’t wait to watch the ad on TV? Click here to watch the ad: http://www.ilovemountains.org/tv-ad

We don’t have the coal industry’s billions. But we do have the power of people like you who are determined to end mountaintop removal coal mining. Can we bring it even further? Please, make a contribution today, and share the ad with your family and friends.

http://ping.fm/tp2eb

“We will not stand idly by as we see mountaintop removal blast our mountain heritage to rubble, eliminate our communities and mountains, and poison our neighbors, as coal executives and their shareholders grow rich. Appalachians are not, and never will be, collateral damage for our nation’s energy consumption!” Vision Statement, Appalachia Rising. This cry is echoing from every corner of Appalachia – will you respond?

Appalachia Rising is September 25-27 in Washington DC. It is a movement gathering and day of action calling for the abolition of mountaintop removal and strip mining in Appalachia. Mountaintop removal has destroyed over 500 of the world’s oldest mountains and contaminated our nation’s water resources. Stand with us on Monday, September 27, 2010 in our nation’s capital for an end to mountaintop removal and a renewed vision of Appalachia.

Click here to register or go to www.appalachiarising.org/registration/reg1.php

Communities across Appalachia and America are mobilizing for Appalachia Rising. Join their ranks and organize your friends, family, and community for Appalachia Rising by filling out this 5 question form by clicking here.

By joining the organizing team, you will be working with the likes of these four Appalachian heroes.

Mickey and Nina McCoy, Kentucky
Mickey and Nina McCoy live in Inez, Kentucky, in the heart of eastern Kentucky’s coal-ravaged mountains. “Our streams were killed and people’s homes flooded by over 300 million gallons of toxic coal sludge from a breach in Massey Energy’s Martin County sludge dam on October 11, 2000. We are yet to see the full extent of the devastation. Cancer rates are rising in the toxic flood’s wake – now is the time for action, before it is too late,” said Mickey McCoy.

Jane Branham, Appalachia Virginia
In Wise County, Virginia, retired underground miners and residents are uniting to defend Ison Rock Ridge from obliteration at the hands of A & G Coal. Their state Department of Mines, Minerals, and Energy approved the company’s application for 1,230 acre mountaintop removal site. “This is another permit being railroaded by state regulatory agencies,” said Jane Branham, Vice-President of Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards. “We have significant concerns about the impact of this permit on our waterways, our community and quality of life for those of us who live in the shadow of this permit.”

Judy Bonds, Coal River Valley, West Virginia
The mountains that rise above the Coal River Valley and the communities in the valleys below are disappearing as blasts resound through the narrow river valley and rubble is pushed onto the headwaters of the Ohio River. Judy Bonds was the last woman out of her mountain-holler home when Massey Energy moved in to build a 9 billion gallon coal slurry dam on Coal River Mountain: Brushy Fork. She said, ”Stop Bombing Appalachia. We demand an end to the blasting of our ancestral mountains and homes and an end to the poisoning of our streams. On September 27th, we will stand with all Americans to demand clean water for all our children and grandchildren.”

Appalachia Rising is 100% funded by grassroots donations. Please make it possible, make a donation by clicking here.

Appalachia Rising is Endorsed By:

Organizations: Coal River Mountain Watch, On Coal River, Coal Country, Burning the Future, Rainforest Action Network, Student Environmental Action Coalition, Mountain Justice, Climate Ground Zero, Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition, Energy Justice Network, Rising Tide, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, West Virginia Labor History Association, Progressive Democrats of West Virginia, Progressive Democrats of America, Mountain Keepers, United for Peace and Justice, Great Turning, Appalachian Institute for Renewable Energy, Topless America Project, Earth Savers, Heartwood, Kentucky Heartwood, the CLEAN, United Mountain Defense, Green America, Beehive Collective, WildEarth Guardians, NY Loves Mountains, Church of Life After Shopping, WV Mountain Party, Northern Virginia Greens, Earthjustice (VM), Presbyterian Earthcare, Social Justice Committee of the UU Ohio-Meadville District, 2/3 Goat, Demolition String Band, Nuclear Information and Resource Services, The Great Turning, Canary Coalition, 350.org, Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards (VM), Gray Panthers of Metropolitan Washington, Washington Peace Center, Action Center, American Coal Productions, Burning the Future: Coal in America, Recycling Education, Clean Power Now, RRENEW, Talking Across the Lines, Just Seeds, Climate Pledge of Resistance, North Carolina Waste Awareness and Reduction Network, Green Delaware, Energy Action Coalition, Eastern PA Permaculture Association, Peaceful Uprising, Beyond Talk, One Life

Celebrities: Silas House, Jason Howard, Kathy Mattea, Mari-Lynn Evans, Ashley Judd, James Hansen, Gloria Reuben, Ed Begley Jr., Colin Beavman, Woody Harrelson, Darryl Hannah, Kyra Sedgewick, Kevin Bacon, Reverend Billy

Movement Leaders: Judy Bonds, Maria Gunnoe, Bo Webb, Chuck Nelson, Mickey McCoy, Nina McCoy, Teri Blanton, Bev May, Wendell Berry

(VM) – Indicates endorsement of Voices from the Mountains only.

ON COAL RIVER screened to an audience of influential policymakers, including personnel from the EPA, the Office of Surface Mining, numerous Congressional aides and staffers, and representatives from some of the most prominent environmental NGOs in DC.  After the film, Austin Hall from Appalachian Voices emceed an extremely moving panel discussion that featured key people from the film — including Ed Wiley, Debbie Jarrell, Bo Webb, and Goldman prize winner Judy Bonds.

The next night, ON COAL RIVER had its official World Premiere to a sold-out house in the AFI Silver Theater at the Silverdocs Film Festival.  Reverend Billy and the ”Mountaintop Choir” from NYC opened the show.  As the credits rolled, Judy, Bo, Ed, and Deb came out to a standing ovation.  Saturday night we screened to a second sold-out house, Judy, Bo, Ed, and Deb received another standing ovation, and we had a panel discussion moderated by Charles Lewis — a longtime 60 Minutes producer and founder of the Center for Public Integrity.

The tireless Celia Alario and her team of volunteers from Rainforest Action Network, Sierra Student Coalition, Energy Action Coalition and Greenpeace who kept everything running smoothly, and made sure that the enthusiasm of the audiences translated into petition signatures and email addresses.

Premiering at SILVERDOCS was a great milestone for us, and it was also an important step towards what comes next.  This fall we’ll be screening at Camden International Film Festival and some other great festivals soon to be announced.  (So far we’ve invitations from Germany, China, New Zealand, Switzerland, and across the US — obviously there is a lot of interest in these stories!)  We’re determined to get the film screened in theaters, on campuses, and on television as widely as possible.

Finally – we’re thrilled to welcome three amazing individuals onto the team: Tony Award Winning producers Eric Falkenstein and Dan Frishwasser, and Tony Award Nominated Actor, Independent Film Director, Producer, and Writer, J. Robert Spencer.  These three join Deann Borshay Liem of Katahdin Productions as Executive Producers of ON COAL RIVER.

Thanks again for your support and encouragement.

Stay tuned!

Francine & Adams

ps…Reviews!