Shifting through the history of mining and the communities that emerged around mines, the film explores the ways in which the titular King Coal has created the identity of Appalachia, even as the number of miners is decreasing and the nature of energy is changing.

Director Elaine McMillion Sheldon’s film becomes increasingly poetic, exploring the hills and mines, the mist, the rivers and the ground itself.

This documentary is a beautiful film that takes the viewer deep into an unfamiliar world that is rarely seen on the screen.

Winner Special Jury Prize at Seattle International Film Festival 2023, Best Cinematography at RiverRun International Film Festival 2023, Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Documentary in American Society of Cinematographers, USA, 2024, Best Documentary-Special Mention, Minneapolis St Paul International Film Festival, 2023.