Appalshop Screening "The Electricity Fairy" at Radford University

A new documentary by Appalshop filmmaker Tom Hansell will screen at 7 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 24 in Radford University’s Bonnie Auditorium.

“The Electricity Fairy” examines America's national addiction to fossil fuels through the lens of electricity.

Coal produces half of the United States’ electricity, according to the Federal Department of Energy, and the impact of the nation’s appetite for electricity is highly visible in the Appalachian region.  

The film focuses on coal extraction and a new power plant being built in Wise County, Va. Hansell follows the story of the coal-fired power plant, connecting the local controversy to the national debate over energy policy.  

Present day documentary footage is remixed with old educational films to reveal the hidden costs of living with coal.

“The Electricity Fairy” premiered at the Museum of Modern Art in February 2010, and was selected for the Southern Circuit Independent Filmmakers Tour in 2011. Hansell has teamed up with grassroots environmental groups to sponsor a series of screenings and discussions throughout the Appalachian region.

Hansell, along with Kathy Selvage, a Wise County resident and activist featured in the documentary, will lead a discussion following the film.