When a coal mine disaster kills her brother, Betty, a pro-coal activist, joins forces with Lorelei, a tree-hugging environmentalist, to take on the most dangerous coal company in the United States.
We partnered with director, Chad A. Stevens, to edit and produce seven years of his vérité documentation exploring the social, environmental and economic complexities in this underrepresented community.
This year marks the five year anniversary of the Upper Big Branch Mine explosion, the largest mining disaster in over 40 years and a major plot point in the film. On November 13, 2014, the former CEO of Massey Energy – the company responsible for the Upper Big Branch disaster – was indicted on conspiracy charges for his involvement in the mining disaster and the deaths of 29 coal miners. Don Blankenship is the first coal executive to ever be indicted on charges linked directly to the deaths of workers under his watch. These are historic criminal charges.
“Overburden” will premiere at the 2015 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival.