Gordon Simmons, a leader of the labor reform movement in West Virginia and president of the WV Labor History Assn., told me that Terry Lively’s new short film on the UE Movement in WV called “A New Beginning” was shown on Sept. 17th in Pittsburgh to more than 200 national delegates to their annual national conference.

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Russ Barbour has been making films for WVPBS for decades. Last night I watched his latest short documentary on “Outlook” about an amazing film event that I never knew about until I saw it - Paul Newman spent some time in Huntington preparing for his role in “Cool Hand Luke.” –>

 Dr. Fred Barkey, president of the WV Labor History Assn. and board member of The South Charleston Museum, gives the key to South Charleston to Catherine Pancake at the world premiere March 11, 2006. Receipts from the event were given to the families of the Sago Mine Disaster.

Catherine Pancake, the WV born and raised filmmaker now living in Baltimore, is still showing her landmark film all over and winning more awards, most recently the Silver Chris from the Columbus International Film Festival. It will be shown in Columbus on November 9th. Just visit their “upcoming shows” webpage to see all of the places it will be shown . Ms. Pancake has done one of the best jobs promoting her film of any film I have seen in 30 + years of being a professional film programmer.

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You are in politics whether you like it or not. If you sit it out on the sidelines, you are throwing your influence on the side of corruption, mismanagement and the forces of evil. Ken Hechler.

http://laurapaskus.blogspot.com/2007/09/hechler-and-colbert.html

                                                            The History Channel finally aired its two hour program that was originally called “Appalachia - America’s First Frontier.” The best part was about The Battle of Blair Mountain with William C. Blizzard and Ross Ballard talking about the event. I also enjoyed the stories about the early Revolutionary War Battle of Kings Mountain, the Scottish-Irish parts, and I learned something I didn’t know about early stock car racing. It’s unfortunate they opened with the moonshine piece and focused on the feud stories, reinforcing the stereotypes they claimed to be against. On their side, I have felt for almost 30 years that even Appalshop often does the same thing, often making films about Appalachians who perfectly fit the stereotype. (more…)

 Kelley Thompson with William C. Blizzard holding his book When Miners March. Thompson interviewed Blizzard about his father, Bill Blizzard, concerning the Widen Strike

Kelley Thompson will have a preview of his new film about the Widen Strike in Clay County at the annual West Virginia Library Association annual conference that will take place in Morgantown on October 2 at the Lakeview Resort. A short film that he made promoting William C. Blizzard and his book about the WV Mine Wars, “When Miners March” will also be shown along with clips of many other new films about labor history in West Virginia and Appalachia.

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Enoch Hicks now lives in Dayton, Ohio but has always kept his WV roots in War, Mc Dowell County. He recently   presented the first public showing of his new 120 minute film, “A Flaming Rock!Coal.” On October 7th, from 11 am-4 pm, he will appear at Tamarack in Beckley to autograph copies of his new book and DVDs. (more…)

 Congrats to Mike Sublette who is getting married next Saturday

Gerry Milnes is the reigning WV Filmmaker of the Year - until October when a new one will be chosen. He also is a great musician and author. I saw a recent ad for the WV Book Festival with his picture which pleased me since Milnes has been writing great books for a long time. ( Too bad the ad didn’t i nclude a picture of another great WV author, Ken Hechler….) Frog Creek Books of Charleston has recently announced that they have copies in stock of two of his books including his new one, “Signs, Cures and Witchery”.

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B.J. Gudmundsson, 2005 WV Filmmaker of the Year, provided some footage for the new Joni Mitchel video for ” 33 1/3.” I have no idea why they used it, but take a look. B.J. is busy working her next anti-MTR film, “Rise Up West Virginia!” Who knows - maybe Joni can support the project like Bruce Springsteen supported John Sayles when he was making “Matewan.”

Sandy Berman traveled from his home near Minneapolis a few weeks ago to Pittsburgh to give a presentation in Pittsburgh. He and Jenna Freedman, the daughter of his good friend Mitch Freedman, past ALA prez and the man who brought Sandy to the Frozen North so many years ago and an outstanding librarian activist in her own right, were the keynote speakers for a Progressive Library Skillshare. Another part of the program was “Book ‘Em - 2000-2006,”a indie doc by a local artist who calls himself tENTATIVELY, a convenience. It was very interesting and entertaining.

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