COAL COUNTRY (2009) takes an unflinching look at the dramatic conflict over modern coal mining in Appalachia, specifically focusing on the controversial practice of mountaintop removal mining (MTR). Through personal stories from both sides—miners concerned about their livelihoods and activists fighting for environmental justice—the documentary highlights the devastating environmental and health consequences faced by local communities. With half of the United States’ electricity still produced by coal, COAL COUNTRY raises urgent questions about America’s energy future, the reality of “clean coal,” and the human cost of coal extraction. Directed, written, and produced by Phylis Geller, with Mari-Lynn Evans as executive producer, this film lays bare a modern civil war unfolding in coal country.