Mattea recently viewed the film at the Nashville Film Festival and was
moved by the scenes of environmental destruction wrought in her native West
Virginia by the coal mining technique called "mountain top removal". Says
Mattea, "You must see this to believe it. I am saddened that we've
'progressed' to a point where we think this is an acceptable practice. Michael
O'Connell's film gives voice to those that have no multi-million dollar PR
firm to tell their story. The visuals are gut-wrenching--there are no
words to describe the devastation."The film recently won the 2008 Reel Current Award from
former Vice-President Al Gore, this year's Nobel Peace Prize Winner and the
subject of the Academy Award-winning documentary "AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH". The
award was presented to O'Connell at the 2008 Nashville Film Festival, where
the film was shown to a capacity crowd.
In addition to that prestigious honor, the film has also won First Prize at the Charlotte Film Festival,
First Prize at the Mion Solutions Environmental Film Awards, and the Jury Award
at the Wild and Scenic Film Festival.
"It's a story of personal determination and courage,"
Gore told an assembled audience of festival attendees and media members. "It's
also a story about the terrible impact on families in the communities that
are victimized by
the way in which the coal is being removed from the
tops of mountains in Appalachia. This film really brings out the human
dimensions of this because you see it through the eyes of a family that's greatly
affected and you feel
it in the emotions of a small town that has really been
hurt a lot."
Mattea's recent album, "COAL", serves as a meditation
on her family roots in the coal country of West Virginia. Recorded as a
tribute to "my place and my people," the album features her take on classic mining
songs from Hazel Dickens, Jean Ritchie, Merle Travis and others to paint
a nuanced portrait, exploring the tragedy that often comes from life in the
mines while paying respects to the strength and humility that provides a
bedrock foundation to the community. She will be introducing the movie and
speaking briefly about the impact of mountain top removal that she has
witnessed firsthand.
Filmmaker O'Connell will also be in attendance and will
be answering questions after the film.
The Basement is located at 1604 8th Ave. South in
Nashville. Go to www.thebasementnashville.com
for directions.