Award winning documentary  ‘Hillbilly’ directed by Sally Rubin and Ashley York Opens in Los Angeles on 28th September 2018 at the Laemmle Glendale Cinema. 

The award winning – “hillbilly,” a film by Sally Rubin and Ashley York, goes on a personal and political journey into the heart of the Appalachian coalfields, exploring the role of media representation in the creation of the iconic American Hillbilly, and examining the social, cultural, and political underpinnings of this infamous stereotype.

Billy Redden poses with photos from his acting debut in the 1970’s film Deliverance
Actor Billy Ridden who stars in the film 

Appalachia is no stranger to the complexity of media representation. Since our country’s inception, there has been a palpable divide between Urban and Rural America. North fights South, Democrats rail against Republicans, while the cosmopolitan looks down upon the country. Within this great divide, certain regions are viewed as the “other,” and blamed for America’s social ills. Since the presidential election, the cultural divide in America has expanded even further. Stereotyping and slurs are rampant, finger-pointing and name-calling abound.

Local Applaichan artist - Amythyst Kiah - plays her guitar making in a scene from
Local Applaichan artist Amythyst Kiah from a scene in the film 

Hillbilly uncovers an unexpected set of artists, poets, and activists, queer musicians, “Affrilachian” poets, and inter-sectional feminists- all unexpected voices emerging from this historically misunderstood region.

“Hillbilly” is a timely and urgent exploration of how we see and think about Appalachian and rural identity in contemporary America, offering a call for dialogue between urban and rural communities during this divisive time in our nation’s history.

President Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) visiting families in the 60’s – from a scene in Hillbilly