Portraits in Coal

Runtime: 17:01

Miners in West Virginia Coal towns are dying to make a living in a fading industry. Movement toward sustainable energy sources has strangled the coal-dependent economies that many Appalachian communities have relied on for over a century. Despite the corruption and the long history of negligent safety practices, the people of Whitesville, West Virginia are determined to carry on their way of life.

Director - Jack Gaertner

Portrait of a young man with short brown hair, a light beard, and a smile, wearing a black t-shirt against a plain white background.

Jack Gaertner is a documentary filmmaker from Atlanta whose work digs into the heart of southern life; its people, places, and contradictions. Drawn to human portraits and the texture of Americana, his films center on stories of resilience and perseverance, often told through quiet moments and lived-in characters. With an eye for the overlooked and a deep respect for struggle, his storytelling leans into the raw, the real, and the emotionally honest.