King Coal Discussion Guide

A lyrical tapestry of a place and people, King Coal meditates on the complex history and future of the coal industry, the communities it has shaped, and the myths it has created. The film reshapes the boundaries of documentary filmmaking and transcends time and place, untangling the pain from the beauty, and illuminating the innately human capacity for imagination and change. Watch two excerpts from King Coal featuring performers, Shodekeh Talifero (breath artist), Lou Maiuri (flatfoot dancer), Jesse Milnes (fiddle) and Emily Miller (vocals).

This guide is an invitation to dialogue. It is based on a belief in the
power of human connection and is designed for people who want
to use King Coal to engage family, friends, classmates, colleagues,
and communities in post-screening discussions. In contrast to
initiatives that foster debates in which participants try to convince
others that they are right, this document envisions conversations
undertaken in a spirit of openness in which people try to understand
one another and expand their thinking by sharing viewpoints and
listening actively.

The discussion prompts are intentionally crafted to help a wide
range of audiences think more deeply about the issues in the film.
Rather than attempting to address them all, choose one or two that
best meet your needs and interests. And be sure to leave time to
consider taking action. Planning the next steps can help people
leave the room feeling energized and optimistic, even in instances
when conversations have been difficult.

For more detailed event planning and facilitation tips, visit https://communitynetwork.amdoc.org/.

About the Author

Courtney Balestier is a writer whose work focuses on the intersection of place and identity, particularly in her native Appalachia. Her fiction and nonfiction have appeared in Joyland, The New Yorker online, Lucky Peach, the New York Times, Oxford American, and others. Her writing has been anthologized in The Food We Eat, the Stories We Tell (Ohio University Press, 2019) Cornbread Nation 7: The Best of Southern Food Writing (UGA Press, 2014) and nominated for a James Beard Foundation Journalism Award and a Pushcart
Prize. She holds a bachelor’s degree in news journalism from West Virginia University and a master’s degree in magazine journalism from New York University. A native West Virginian, Courtney is at work on a novel set in Appalachia. She lives and works in Pittsburgh.

DISCUSSION GUIDE PRODUCERS
Courtney B. Cook, Phd | Education Manager, POV
Anna Yarbrough | Education Assistant, POV