hillbilly

hillbilly
Directed by Sally Rubin and Ashley York

Thursday, February 7, 6 pm

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$9 / $7 Speed and Louisville Film Society members

“The film implicitly speaks up for rural folk everywhere.” —John DeFore, The Hollywood Reporter

Appalachia has endured a complex representation in media. Since this country’s inception, there has been a palpable divide between urban and rural America. Within this dichotomy, certain regions are viewed as “other” and blamed for America’s social ills.

The 2016 presidential election expanded that cultural schism. Stereotyping and slurs are rampant, and finger-pointing and name-calling abound. hillbilly goes on a personal and political journey into the heart of the Appalachian coalfields, exploring the role of media representation in the creation of the iconic American “hillbilly,” and examining the social, cultural, and political underpinnings of this infamous stereotype.

Filmed in Georgia, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, hillbilly uncovers an unexpected set of artists, poets, activists, queer musicians, “Affrilachian” poets, and intersectional feminists—all unexpected voices emerging from this historically misunderstood region.

hillbilly is a timely and urgent exploration of how we see and think about poverty and rural identity in contemporary America, offering a call for dialogue during this divisive time in U.S. history. Winner of the Best Documentary Feature Film Award at the Los Angeles Film Festival. 2018, U.S., DCP, 87 minutes. Recommended for 16+.

Followed by a post-screening discussion with co-director Sally Rubin by Skype moderated by Soozie Eastman, Executive Director, Louisville Film Society. Co-presented with the Louisville Film Society.