FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Seymour Levin

610-545-5505
seymour.levin@gmail.com


ANTHRACITE FILM EXPOSÉ Wins Best Documentary Feature Award

"Hard Coal: Last of the Bootleg Miners" Uncovers Conspiracy to Force Mine Closures



PHILADELPHIA, February 23, 2009– Producer Seymour Levin and Woodshop Films' are proud to announce the choice of Hard Coal for the Best Documentary Feature Award at the DIY Film Festival in Los Angeles. The explosive documentary exposes the federal government's goal to force the closure of Pennsylvania's anthracite coal mines is scheduled to screen at the

American Film Institute, March 6-8.



Hard Coal: Last of the Bootleg Miners emotionally and factually reveals the crushing

injustices faced by independent anthracite mine owners as they desperately cling to a familiar

way of life while fighting off threats from unfamiliar enemies. The feature-length film reveals a classic "David vs. Goliath" battle by exploring the role of government, globalization, big business and the labor movement in the unraveling of the family-run northeast Pennsylvania anthracite mine. It's a story made all the more unfair as coal rises in favor in national and global energy policy. Just as the family farmer has been driven out of business by industrial agriculture

behemoths, the anthracite miner is quickly dying out as corporations try to muscle their way into the only anthracite deposits in the U.S.



Since the beginning of the movie's production in 2005, two miners have died – one in a mining accident and the other, the victim's former boss, by his own hand -- and eight more mines have closed, leaving just four to maintain the legacy of what was once a vitally important national

industry. Filmmakers have followed these developments and sensitively incorporated them into the narrative. The crew has also added footage from various bituminous mining regions across the country to show how much mountaintop blasting destroys our environment, as compared to deep anthracite mining.



When the film premiered to a sold-out audience at the Philadelphia Film Festival in 2006, the crowd gave an enthusiastic and heartfelt standing ovation to the almost 100 anthracite miners and their families who had traveled by bus to attend the screening.



Hard Coal: Last of the Bootleg Miners was nominated for "Best Documentary Feature" at the 2006 Philadelphia Film Festival and was an official selection at the Annapolis and Waterfront film festivals in 2006. The film has also screened numerous times across Pennsylvania.



Woodshop Films is an independently owned multi-media company housed in a working wood shop in Philadelphia. Founded by artist Marc Brodzik, the company serves as a think tank for the creation and production of cutting-edge documentary films and multimedia work pieces.

Congratulation to the Crew at Woodshop Films and ( I think ) others who helped with the production.

With any luck those of us in the hinterland will be able to purchase the DVD soon.

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I don't have all the answers.
I don't even know all the questions!

nice job

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Come over to the Dark Side....... We have Cookies!

Say what you want about that movie but the guys in it had the guts to tell it like it is and in no uncertain terms at that. Its about damn time it gets some recognition. The movie preserved a important part of mining history for the future. Great job!

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"We don't look for any money all we look for is a little help and the only help we get is for the government to shut us down and if you go to the gas station and buy the gas you'll see why..........................you'll see why"

Now that sounds like a movie I'd want to see!

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Neeb?

Ya, I'd like to see it too. Maybe now that it won top honors it'll be on IFC? That would be good. Thanks for staying on top of the news as usual, Shana!

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jdr