Michael C. O'Connell

Michael C. O’Connell of Haw River Films, located in North Carolina, directed “Mountain Top Removal” (2006), his film about MTR. This film is almost entirely filmed in WV. Like “Razing Appalachia” and “Black Diamonds,” he has promoted the film worldwide, receiving top awards at film festivals including the Reel Current Award at the 2008 Nashville Film Festival, presented by Al Gore. The film has been shown in Europe, truly getting the word out about MTR. It was shown in spring 2008 at The Appalachian Film Festival in Huntington, WV where it won second place for “best documentary.”

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Mountaintop Removal

The documentary Mountaintop Removal, directed by Michael C. O’Connell, examines the human and ecological toll of strip-mining in West Virginia. Featuring activists such as Ed Wiley, Julia Bonds, and Maria Gunnoe, along with commentary from Jeff Goodell and Duke University scientists, the film exposes how mountaintop removal mining reshapes Appalachia’s landscape and water systems. It situates coal extraction within broader debates over corporate power, public health, and environmental justice.

Source: Haw River Films | IMDB (2007) Read More