When West Virginia broke away from Virginia in 1861 at the start of the American Civil War, its founders did not agree upon the Confederacy or the role of the state in the war. They were, however, united in their interests around the extraction and exploitation of the rich resources of the state – predominantly coal and timber – what would prove to be the dominant theme throughout the history of West Virginia.
“Devil Put the Coal” is holistic look at the impact of this legacy and the ravages of extractive industry and corporate power, as it has affected the people, communities and the environment of West Virginia. Consciously eschewing exploitive filmmaking around the opioid epidemic or poverty, the film focuses on its people – all linked by the love of their home state and desire to stay put against all odds.
By design, the film is structured upon personal storytelling from native West Virginians, drawing upon their rich experiences and diverse perspectives in order to create an informal “People’s History of West Virginia”. These individuals run the gamut – from recovering opioid addict, to environmental activist, to U.S. Congressional candidate, to town judge, to recovery center nurse, to corporate environmental lawyer, to struggling local business owner – all of whom, despite their differences, remain linked by the love of their home state and the challenges that threaten their survival, and way of life.
Uniquely paced and stylistically arresting, the film marries personal narrative with cinematic aerial footage, rare archival photography from DOCUMERICA luminary Jack Corn, bespoke animation and an original score that features the music of Steve Earle & Iris Dement – at once a meditation on the mystique of coal culture, a people’s resilience and deep connection to the land, and elegy to a vanishing Appalachia.
empowerment & inner transformation... 
Leave a comment