It’s been an amazing few weeks and there is much to tell after the Capitol Hill Screening and SILVERDOCS World Premiere of ON COAL RIVER.
Our trip to Washington DC began with a Special Preview Screening on Capitol Hill. We partnered with Representatives Patrick Kennedy (RI) and Heath Shuler (NC) and Applachian Voices to bring the film to the new Capitol Hill Visitors Center Theater, located underneath the actual US Capitol.
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!
“Hillbilly Davids best a corporate Goliath…Keenly observed…
Respectful, thorough, and relevant.”
– Variety
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http://bit.ly/bX2iUO)
“You’ll cheer at the tenacity of the fighters.”
– Washington City Paper
Take Action — On Coal River 