Baltimore, MD, November 14, 2007 – Catherine Pancake, Director/Producer of the award-winning documentary “Black Diamonds,” and Mission Film have announced a benefit screening event to be held on Tuesday, November 27th, 2007, in Baltimore, Maryland at the Charles Theater, at 1711 N Charles Street. The “Black Diamonds” screening starts at 7:00pm, costs $8.00, and will be followed by a Q&A with filmmaker Pancake, and activists Julia Bonds (O Magazine, Vanity Fair, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner) and Maria Gunnoe, both of whom are featured in the film.

The event will raise money for Coal River Mountain Watch, a grassroots activism organization in West Virginia dedicated to ending mountaintop removal mining. Local entrepreneur Ginny Robertson, a West Virginia native, and President of Live Your Life On Purpose, a business devoted to celebrating women entrepreneurs and leaders, will host and introduce the benefit screening. (http://www.onpurposenow.com.)

Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post called “Black Diamonds” “…A riveting and ultimately energizing documentary… provides a convincing case for ending the environmental scourge of decapitating mountains…"

“Black Diamonds” Producer/Director Pancake partnered with Baltimore film production company, Mission Film (http://www.missionmedia.net/missionfilm/) for post-production and creative services for the film resulting in several awards including the Silver Chris (Best in Division) at the recent Columbus International Film Festival on November 10th, and a prestigious and high profile screening at the Documentary Directors' Fortnight at the Museum of Modern Art (http://www.moma.org) in NYC scheduled for February 2008.

ABOUT BLACK DIAMONDS: “Black Diamonds” is the first of its kind to offer a wholly comprehensive survey of surface mining and mountaintop removal practices (removing the tops of mountains to expose coal seams) in West Virginia. It is a riveting portrait of radical community resistance — an American region fighting for its life—caught between the grinding wheels of the national appetite for cheap energy and an enduring sense of Appalachian culture, pride, and natural beauty. The film features voice over talent by Lauren Graham (of award-wining Television program the “Gilmore Girls”) and testimonies from Julia Bonds, WV activist who received the 2003 Goldman Award (the nation’s largest environmental activist award), William Maxey, former Director of WV Division of Forestry, and the passionate, committed citizens of West Virginia. (http://www.blackdiamondsmovie.com)

ABOUT CATHERINE PANCAKE: Catherine Pancake is a filmmaker, cultural worker and activist located in Baltimore.  Her work has been screened at museums, festivals, and universities locally and nationally. Her current film, “Black Diamonds,” has received a Maryland State Arts Council Award, the Paul Robeson Independent Media Award, and the Spadaro Documentary Award.