DEVIL PUT THE COAL IN THE GROUND is a moving portrayal of resilience by the people of West Virginia that reveals – despite years of corporate greed and exploitation – how a deep love of family, community and tradition has carried them through it all. From the realities of a crumbling economy, to the ravages of the opioid epidemic, to the irreparable environmental damage and its tragic impact on human health –  the film is a cautionary tale of unfettered corporate power, and an elegy to a vanishing Appalachia. Uniquely structured upon personal storytelling of West Virginians, the film draws upon their rich experiences and diverse perspectives in order to create an informal, oral “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. DEVIL PUT THE COAL IN THE GROUND features the iconic music of Steve Earle and Iris Dement, while blending intimate first-person storytelling with rare archival photography from DOCUMERICA luminary Jack Corn. Stunning aerial footage, bespoke animation, and an original score complete this heartfelt elegy to a vanishing Appalachia. Co-directors Lucas Sabean and Peter Hutchison stop by to talk about how this film started as an entirely different project and why the humanity and emotional rawness of the film’s subjects made it clear that they deserved to have a film built around their stories.

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