Review: ‘BLOOD ON THE MOUNTAIN’ runs deep into the West Virginia soil.

abramorama logopresentsbotm-high-resCoal Country, West Virginia is filled with workers whose way of life has been ingrained for generation after generation. It proves to put food on the table but at what cost to personal health and the destruction of the environment in what is most definitely a dying industry. In this tumultuous election season, we saw a lot of promises. Locals voted to make their lives better, and we all cross our fingers that it doesn’t end up being against their own self-interest in the end.

Synopsis:

From the filmmakers behind The Appalachians and Coal Country, Blood on the Mountain is a searing investigation into the economic and environmental injustices that have resulted from industrial control in West Virginia. This feature documentary details the struggles of a hard-working, misunderstood people, who have historically faced limited choices and have never benefited fairly from the rich, natural resources of their land. Blood On The Mountain delivers a striking portrait of a fractured population, exploited and besieged by corporate interests, and abandoned by the powers elected to represent them.

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Directed by Mari-Lynn Evans and Jordan Freeman, and produced by Deborah Wallace, Mari-Lynn Evans and Jordan Freeman, BLOOD ON THE MOUNTAIN gives the rest of the country a taste of the poverty and feeling of isolationism in the region. It’s a constant struggle between the big money the industry rakes in and the plight of the little guy. With a mix of historical footage and sit down interviews, the doc takes the viewer into the very lives adversely affected by their everyday circumstances and the individuals formerly responsible for their safety (who are ripe with conflict of interest).  Abandoned by the very corporations that come in to use the workers until the mountains are all blown to hell and the mines are empty. The almighty dollar is far more important than the life of the people. It’s nothing but economic exploitation over and over. It’s easy to judge from the outside.Blood on the mountain workers still Much like the Detroit, someone who cares and wants to give these folks a real new beginning, has a wonderful opportunity to come in and set up shop. Bring hope to these threatened lives. With renewable energy costing less and less each year, we as a people are moving away from destruction and towards the future. Riddled with corruption by the local government since the start of the industry, why would any local vote for a candidate being touted as “elite” and “Washington insider”, regardless of a record of working her entire life for the betterment of families? I have a hard time believing that a man, whose entire life has revolved around himself and making money off the backs of hard-working people, a man high in his towering glass highrise, is going to keep the promises he made. Maybe this will finally be the hard lesson coal country needs to learn, but what an awful loss that’s coming along the way.

 BLOOD ON THE MOUNTAIN, opens in NY & LA theaters November 18th.

RT: 90 Minutes

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Twitter: @BOTMFilm

Websitehttp://www.bloodonthemountain.com

Review: There is no denying ‘THE TIME TO CHOOSE’ is Now.

abramorama logoPresents

TIME TO CHOOSE

Narrated by Oscar Isaac

time to choose posterI’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, anyone who thinks climate change is a manufactured idea, to me, is way off the rails. But, if by some chance you’re unconvinced, a new doc is resolved to change your mind. It seems like, with most threatening events in our lives, it is not until they directly affect our own families that we take the time to address them head on. It is much easier to sweep them under the rug or dismiss them as someone else’s problem. TIME TO CHOOSE may be your wake up call.

Chinese Masks

Academy Award®-Winning documentary filmmaker Charles Ferguson (Inside Job, No End in Sight) turns his lens to address worldwide climate change challenges
and solutions in his new film  TIME TO CHOOSE.


Featuring narration by award-winning actor Oscar Isaac, TIME TO CHOOSE leaves audiences understanding not only what is wrong, but what can to be done to fix this global threat.

Ferguson explores the comprehensive scope of the climate change crisis and examines the power of solutions already available. Through interviews with world-renowned entrepreneurs, innovators, thought leaders and brave individuals living on the front lines of   climate change, Ferguson takes an
In-depth look at the remarkable people working to save our planet.

Watershed chemicals in West Virginia

Watershed chemicals in West Virginia. I would not want my children playing in that stream.

The film is presented in a straightforward pitch, presented in parts, using testimonials from everyday people, scientists, innovators, CEOs, and get this… Facts. In the clip below, you can see what happens in West Virginia, in our continued destruction of beautiful mountains and in “cleaning” coal. Trust me when I say, there is nothing clean about it. We are poisoning ourselves in the process. It’s a vicious cycle, perpetuated by the lack of any other major industry existing in the area for folks to make a living from. Our people are killing themselves to not makes ends meet for their families. Something has to give. Take a look at this, and then picture Flint, Michigan in your backyard.

This is a money motivated issue, there is no doubt about it. The U.S. makes $35 Billion dollars in coal profits annually (That’s billion with a ‘”B”). $375 Billion in electricity profits. Why would those involved in sickening/ripping off Americans want to change anything? Here’s the thing, by 2017 renewable energy will cost less than fossil fuels. So, laugh all you want at electric cars, wind, and solar power. As for me, I’ll be laughing all the way to the bank, along with those who get it. Chinese MasksWith breathtaking cinematography, including awe-inspiring aerial shots, an uplifting score, and the sincere and heartfelt narration by Oscar Isaac, TIME TO CHOOSE is a winning film. With all of these elements combined, we have no excuse but to sit up and pay attention. We have a duty to protect our children. We cannot afford to ignore the reality we’ve created.  As Unilever CEO, Paul Polman says in the film, “It’s too late to be a pessimist.” Now is the TIME TO CHOOSE.

In Theaters June 3, 2016

One day screening events on June 15thThe filmmakers have have partnered
 with Gathr® Films to use Theatrical On Demand® to bring TIME TO CHOOSE 
to local theaters across the country over the Summer and into the Fall

RT: 97 Minutes
               

Original Music by The Misshapes

Featuring:

Dr. Jane Goodall 

Steven Chu (Former US Energy Secretary)

Michael Pollan (Author, In Defense of Food)

Michael Brune (President, The Sierra Club)

Kumi Naidoo (Executive Director, Greenpeace International)

Jerry Brown (Governor, California)

Lyndon Ryve (Co-Founder, CEO SolarCity)

Paul Polman (CEO, Unilever)

Amory Lovins (Chief Scientist, Rocky Mountain Institute)

Danny Kennedy (Co-Founder, Sungevity)

Peter Agnefjall (CEO, IKEA)

Eric Luo (CEO, Shunfeng)

Jesse Moore (Founder, M-Kopa)
 
& More

Make the choice, for more information please visit: http://www.timetochoose.com

Facebook: Facebook.com/TimeToChooseFilm
Twitter: @Time2ChooseFilm
Instagram: TimeToChooseFilm
#TimeToChoose