The West Virginia Project is a meditation on the suffering and devastation brought on by the coal industry and its decline in West Virginia, and communities forced to bear witness to a perfect storm of afflictions: from the realities of a crumbling economy, to the ravages of the opioid epidemic, to the irreparable environment damage at the hands of a long-term extractive industry and, in turn, the resulting tragic impact on human health.
More information available on the film’s Website.
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LUCAS SABEAN, DIRECTOR/PRODUCER
LUCAS SABEAN is a filmmaker, producer and editor with 20 years of experience, his work having screened at the Telluride, Seattle, Chicago, Slamdance, DOC NYC and Big Sky Doc International film festivals. His body of work includes extensive experiential, independent narrative and documentary films, in addition to a multitude of corporate work. His filmography includes RELIEVIO (2000, Telluride FF “Filmmaker of Tomorrow” award), ROOF TO ROOF (2001, Sundance), END OF ERA (2003, Underground Zero film program), THE LAST STAND (2008, best feature Backseat Film Festival), ANGRY WHITE MEN (2018, Grasshopper Films), and HEALING FROM HATE (2019, DOC NYC, Big Sky Docs). Choreographer Paul Taylor has called his films “superb-like poems made visible.” He has an MFA from Boston University in Film Production.
PETER HUTCHISON, DIRECTOR/PRODUCER
PETER HUTCHISON is a critically acclaimed filmmaker, NY Times Bestselling author, educator and activist. He recently produced & directed REQUIEM FOR THE AMERICAN DREAM: Noam Chomsky and the Principles of Concentration of Wealth and Power – an exploration of wealth inequity in American (Netflix). A NY Times Critics Pick and #1 top – selling doc on iTunes, the book version debut on the NY Times Bestseller list (Seven Stories Press). He is currently completing a triad of films exploring hate in America, with the feature HEALING FROM HATE: Battle for the Soul of a Nation (DOCNYC & Big Sky Doc Film Fest Selections, a Freestyle/MEF 2020 Release) serving as the cornerstone. AUSCHWITZ: Facing the Legacy of Hatred (currently in post); and ANGRY WHITE MEN: American Masculinity in the Age of Trump complete the trilogy. His numerous documentaries include WHAT WOULD JESUS BUY? (Sundance Channel) with producing partner Morgan Spurlock; SPLIT: A Divided America (IFC Choice Indie) and follow-up SPLIT: A Deeper Divide (Documentary Channel); and AWAKE ZION (Film Buff). He holds an M.S. in Counseling Psychology.