Robert Gates in January 2010 presenting his new films at SCM LaBelle including original Buffalo Creek footage shown at Appalachian Studies Conference
Robert Gates presented his “16mm edited silent film montage” of the “Buffalo Creek Disaster” at the recent Appalachian Studies Conference along with expert Jack Spadaro. Bob presented three of his new films including Buffalo Creek at the South Charleston Museum in January to a good crowd despite the weather.
Gates e-mailed me, “My presentation with Jack Spadaro of the ‘Buffalo Creek Disaster’ film drew a standing room only audience and was well received. Our exhibits table was quite lively. We gave out a bunch of bumper stickers, buttons and Voices, even ran out of the current edition. A number of DVDs were purchased, no books. I got one new membership application and a paid renewal, a few sticker donations, and we talked to quite a few people. A quite successful endeavor and it helped put the WVHC (West Virginia Highlands Conservancy) on the Appalachian Studies map.”
He also wrote me, ”[I saw] Bonecrusher”, a documentary portrayal of a son and his father who does not want him to follow him into the mines, the great relationships among the miners, Appalachian culture and the deep coal mining. I traded him a DVD of “In Memory of the Land and People” for a copy of his film and I am running it around.” The film won the Jack Spadaro Award given annually to the best Appalachian documentary. (see article below and coming review)
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