Bone Crusher (USA: 2008, 69 mins)

In the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, a young coal miner named Lucas Chaffin toils one mile underground in a dangerous mine. Despite the harsh working conditions, Lucas takes fierce pride in the fact that he's carrying on a family tradition. A fourth generation miner, working inside the earth is more than just a job to Lucas. He believes it's his duty; a responsibility symbolized by the old coal hammer that he uses. It is the same hammer that was used for 26 years by the man he loves more than anything: his father, Luther Chaffin. Luther-nicknamed "Bone Crusher" - was once a strong, handsome man. But now, at age 61, he's withered and sick; cancer-causing coal dust has ravaged his lungs. And he knows his fate. He watched his own father die this way. But instead of worrying about himself, Luther is more concerned for Lucas. He wants his son to get out of the mines before it's too late, but Lucas can't bring himself to quit-no matter what the cost. This film is an intimate, moving account of the love between a father and son, and the unbreakable bond they share. It's also a stark journey to the coal fields of Dante, Virginia where a tight-knit community of miners and their families face their harsh life with a toughness and camaraderie as enduring as the earth itself.

Special Guest Speaker: Film Maker Michael Fountain

Discussions to Follow Each Screening. Please join us.

Presented In Conjuction with
The Big Sky Documentary Film Festival
www.BigSkyFilmFest.org