Interview: Elaine McMillion Sheldon Describes the Kingdom of "King Coal"

WUOT | By Jacqui Sieber

Published March 27, 2023 at 5:00 AM EDT

A still from King Coal by Elaine McMillion Sheldon, an official selection of the NEXT section at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute. All photos are copyrighted and may be used by the press only for the purpose of news or editorial coverage of Sundance Institute programs. Photos must be accompanied by a credit to the photographer and/or 'Courtesy of Sundance Institute.' Unauthorized use, alteration, reproduction or sale of logos and/or photos is strictly prohibited.

Oscar-nominated and Knoxville based filmmaker Elaine McMillion Sheldon presented her documentary “King Coal'' at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. Sheldon, an assistant professor in the University of Tennessee’s Cinema Studies program, will also feature her film at the 2023 Big Ears Festival. WUOT’s Jacqui Sieber spoke with Sheldon about the film.

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Jacqui Sieber

Jacqui was born and raised in Pittsburgh. She graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2021 with a bachelor’s in communications. Outside of work, she likes to go to baseball games. She once was a ball girl for the Pittsburgh Pirates, which allowed her to do the macarena on TV for no good reason. She actively uses the word "yinz" to address people, so just a heads up.

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