Photography is a powerful tool to tell the complex stories of climate change, but how do you begin to conceptualize a photographic approach around a problem so large and, sometimes, unseen?

In this interactive workshop, award-winning PublicSource photojournalists Quinn Glabicki and Stephanie Strasburg will share their advice, inspirations, and techniques for visual storytelling on the environment that centers the people and communities impacted. We’ll explore the process of finding stories and sources, localizing global issues, the ins and outs of photographing in the field, and the art of the edit for publication.

In this interactive workshop, award-winning filmmaker Lydia Cornett will share her advice, inspirations, and techniques for documentary filmmaking that centers on her work that explores the contours of labor, language, and artistic expression across nonfiction and experimental forms. We’ll explore the process of finding stories and characters, addressing certain social issues, the ins and outs of filming and producing in the field, and the art of film editing.

The third-annual Rust Belt & Appalachia Documentary Film Festival, presented by The Video Consortium is a screening series of recent non-fiction cinema produced in our region. It’s where filmmakers, journalists, and creatives can unite to celebrate and explore our region’s identity and culture while making new connections. This year, we will be screening an incredible selection of short and feature documentary films over the course of two days in addition to workshops, panel discussions, and a rough-cut feedback session.

This screening will be hosted by Hansen Bursic! Hansen is a Pittsburgh-born, award-winning filmmaker and journalist based in Los Angeles. Building on the legacy of queer and trans creators before him, he has dedicated his work to not only elevating LGBTQ+ narratives through documentary but bringing radical equity to the film industry.

ABOUT THE FILMS:

FLESHWORK (7 mins)

Directed by Lydia Cornett

At a butcher shop in Jeromesville, Ohio, four meat processors situate their labor within their own minds and bodies.

It’s In You: Peace (7 mins)

Directed by Jibril Washington

In the 1st episode of "It's In You", we share with you the story of Manasseh Garner, coach, author, and dean of scholars. Manasseh has become a voice for emotional intelligence and understanding the gifts that are inside of himself + others. He teaches adults and children how to regulate their emotions and deal with the ups and downs of life as it transpires. He went from living his childhood dream of going to the National Football League (NFL) to getting away from his values, getting injured and having to think about what was going to be next for his life and purpose. He found peace in the storm. Journaling, taking time to be with himself, and learning healthier coping skills has aided his journey.

King Coal (80 mins)

Directed by Elaine McMillion Sheldon (Q&A with Tony BubaAaron Blum)

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. While deeply situated in the communities 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.

The third-annual Rust Belt & Appalachia Documentary Film Festival presented by The Video Consortium is a screening series of recent non-fiction cinema produced in our region. It’s where filmmakers, journalists, and creatives can come together to celebrate and explore our region’s identity and culture while also making new connections. This year, we will be screening an incredible selection of short and feature documentary films over the course of three days in addition to a student short doc competition, rough cut feedback session, and documentary production workshop by a special visiting guest filmmaker.

This screening will be hosted by Stephanie Strasburg! Stephanie is a Pittsburgh-based photojournalist and documentary filmmaker devoted to community journalism and investigative projects. She is drawn to the evolving landscape, economy, and sociopolitical conditions of the valleys she calls home and is interested in practicing journalism as a collaborative craft.

ABOUT THE FILMS:

The Unknown Catastrophe Left Behind in East Palestine | Bloomberg Investigates (25 mins)

Directed by Michael Byhoff

The train derailment in the small, tight-knit community of East Palestine, Ohio, was just the beginning. Chemicals leaked into soil and creeks, a “controlled burn” spewed toxic chemicals across the landscape and residents were left looking for answers. Months later, questions still remain. We spoke to residents, experts, government officials and the train company to find out exactly what happened and how this small town can recover.

Impossible Town (80 mins)

Directed by Meg Griffiths and Scott Faris

When her father dies unexpectedly, Dr. Ayne Amjad is thrust to the helm of a decades-long struggle to aid Minden, a southern West Virginia town beset by cancer-causing chemicals. Haunted by her father’s mandate to “help others,” Ayne hatches an audacious plan to relocate the town and bring closure to her father’s work. After encountering initial resistance, Ayne takes her ambitions statewide, landing a high-profile role as WV’s state health officer. But the demands of her new position combined with her goal of moving Minden take a dramatic toll on her health. When deeply entrenched community narratives collide with emerging scientific findings about the town’s pollutants, Ayne must decide how much she’s willing to sacrifice to help the people of Minden achieve their goals.