Arts Circle and Film Lover Members, you and a guest are invited to join us for a theatrical screening of King Coal, followed by an in-person conversation with producers Shane Boris and Diane Becker, moderated by Kate Mason (Programming & Events, Film Independent).

Beverages will be served prior to the screening, starting at 7:00 pm PT.

Shane Boris and Diane Becker are Academy Award-winning producers (Navalny), and Shane is a Film Independent Fellow who took part in our Documentary Lab in 2018.

This year we’re celebrating #AD30, in recognition of our three-decade journey working with and for independent artists. Join the celebration and donate today to support our next 30 years of Artist Development.
 
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. Oscar-nominated filmmaker Elaine McMillion Sheldon reshapes the boundaries of documentary filmmaking in a spectacularly beautiful and deeply moving immersion into Central Appalachia where coal is not just a resource, but a way of life, imagining the ways a community can re-envision itself.

While deeply situated in the regions under the reign of King Coal, where McMillion Sheldon has lived and worked her entire life, the film transcends time and place, emphasizing the ways in which all are connected through an immersive mosaic of belonging, ritual and imagination. Emerging from the long shadows of the coal mines, King Coal untangles the pain from the beauty, and illuminates the innately human capacity for change.

King Coal was an official selection of the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, San Francisco International Film Festival, Bentonville Film Festival and Seattle International Film Festival, where it won the Documentary Competition Special Jury Prize. The film was also a New York Times Critic’s Pick, included in Esquire‘s “Best Documentaries of 2023,” and featured on NPR’s Weekend Edition.

 
2023, 78 minutes, color | Written by Elaine McMillion Sheldon | Directed by Elaine McMillion Sheldon | Featuring Lanie Marsh, Gabrielle Wilson, Doy Leon Russell, Heather Hannah | Produced by Shane Boris, Diane Becker, Peggy Drexler, Elaine McMillion Sheldon | Executive Produced by Katherine Drexler & Heather A. Baldry
 

Registration Information

For information about Arts Circle, learn more, or contact Jennifer Murby at jmurby@filmindependent.org.

Arts Circle and Film Lover Members can register for this event starting at 12:00 pm on Wednesday, September 6. | Registration is free; one registration per Membership. | Proof of Member status is required to complete registration.
 

Tickets/Parking

On the day of the event, registered Members may pick up tickets as early as one hour prior to the scheduled start time – look for Film Independent signage. Tickets are nontransferable and for general, unreserved theater seating only (except for Arts Circle Members). Attendees must be in their seat(s) at least 15 minutes prior to the advertised start time or seat(s) may be released. Entry/seating will be handled on a first-come, first-served basis. Guests may not enter the venue without the Member who registered them present. Registration does not guarantee entry, even with a ticket in hand.

Masks are recommended, but not required. This is subject to change as we continue to monitor public health guidance.

Complimentary parking provided with validation. Garage entrance on Masselin.
 

Accessibility

Film Independent is committed to hosting events that are accessible. For inquiries regarding accessibility, or to request an accommodation, please contact us at accessibility@filmindependent.org or 323 556 9305.
 

Screening Policies

Availability window and registration capacity may vary; always register as early as possible. Limit one registration per Membership, per event.

Members are required to follow all rules and guidelines as laid out by Film Independent and/or its partners. If a guest has been registered for an event by a Member, these policies shall apply to that guest. Violation of policies may result in suspension or termination of Membership.

Event details and guest participation are subject to change or cancellation without prior notice.