Hillbilly

In "hillbilly," directors Ashley York (Tig) and Sally Rubin show the evolution of the uneducated, promiscuous American "hillbilly" stereotype in movies and television, linking it with corporate exploitation of Appalachia’s natural resources. The film is surprising and refreshing, treating rural voters generously and expanding cultural understanding of Appalachia by featuring Appalshop's Appalachian Media Institute where young adults find community and refuge and The Affrilachian Poets, a grassroots group of poets of color living in the Appalachian region.One critic wrote: "For outsiders, the film could potentially challenge viewers’ perceptions; for Appalachians, it’s a cinematic portrayal of which they can be proud."