From National Geographic Documentary Films, “From the Ashes” captures Americans in communities across the country as they wrestle with the legacy of the coal industry and what its future should be under the Trump Administration.
From Appalachia to the West’s Powder River Basin, the film goes beyond the rhetoric of the “war on coal” to present compelling and often heartbreaking stories about what’s at stake for our economy, health, and climate. The film invites audiences to learn more about an industry on the edge and what it means for their lives.
“ ‘From the Ashes’ is one of the most complex projects I've ever been involved in, and it was a real team effort to bring it to life,” said director Michael Bonfiglio. “From the very beginning in the spring of 2016 when we started pre-production, we wanted to make something that put a human face on the complicated issues tied to coal production like the future of the energy sector, the risks to people’s health and livelihood and the environment. These are challenges that should not be reduced to one-note soundbites as they often are in today’s hyper political climate.”
“We wanted to make something that addressed the intense emotions and competing motivations on multiple sides. It was important to us that our film could inform people about the real issues and spark a fact-based dialogue about an industry at a major crossroads. Essentially the question now is do we continue to invest in a 19th century form of energy production that has clear and present risks – or do we move forward and, if so, what are the options in our energy future?”
The film premiere is part of the festival’s new “DOCtoberFest” series, which will feature six award-winning documentaries premiering over seven days.