HILLBILLY Exploring America’s Great Divide
Musco Center for the Arts presents the free Orange County premiere screening of Hillbilly, an award-winning new documentary film on Tuesday, March 12 at 7:30 p.m.
Hillbilly, co-directed by Chapman Assistant Professor of Documentary Film Sally Rubin and filmmaker Ashley York, seeks to expand cultural understanding of the Appalachian region and its infamous stereotype. The post-screening discussion with an expert panel features Dr. Stephanie Takaragawa, Presidental Fellow Joel Kotkin, Professor Lori Cox Han, and Hillbilly Director Sally Rubin.
Called “wonderful” by Dolly Parton and praised by RogerEbert.com as “3.5 stars…an ambitious and enlightening documentary, filled with wisdom and asking great questions, Hillbilly seeks to challenge viewers’ perception, opening up a dialogue between urban and diverse communities in Appalachia. The film 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 the impact of these stereotypes on America’s current cultural and political divide.
Winner of the Jury Prize for Best Documentary at the Los Angeles Film Festival and long-listed for an Oscar, HILLBILLY deconstructs mainstream media representations of the evolution of the uneducated, promiscuous “hillbilly” stereotype and its socio-economic impact. The film uncovers an unexpected set of artists, poets, and activists, queer musicians, “Affrilachian” poets, and intersectional feminists.
Tickets for March 12 are free and may be reserved through Musco Center online at muscocenter.org or by calling the box office at 844-OC-MUSCO 844.626.8726. All print-at-home tickets include a no-cost parking pass.
Musco Center for the Arts is located on the campus of Chapman University at 415 North Glassell in Orange.
