Penny Loeb wrote the first national story, in US News & World Report, about the effects of mountaintop removal mining. She worked with Bob Gates on the first two WV documentaries about MTR, “All Shaken Up” and “Mucked.”(2003)   She wrote her book, “Moving Mountains” and has been writing a screenplay for a while. Finally, the film will be going in to production with WV filmmaker Bill Richardson as director and Daniel Boyd as co-producer. This is great news for everyone in West Virginia who supports  local filmmakers.

I am particularly pleased that Bill Richardson will be directing. He made one of the very best documentary films about West Virginia, “Mine Wars”(2004) and has since directed an award-winning feature, “Crash Gordon.” He is busy with his day job working in economic development in Southern West Virginia, and knows how important films like “Matewan” have been for economic development in his area.

Daniel Boyd is also a great person to work as producer. He has single-handedly built the Paradise Film Institute, making his own three indie feature films, and helping hundreds of students get in to film.

According to the film’s website, filmming is to start next month with main filmming to take place in May 2010.  Good luck to Penny and everyone else involved in this monumental film production.

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