Directed by Sally Rubin and Ashley York, Hillbilly is a culturally significant, long overdue documentary about the origins of a popular yet stigmatized stereotype that has prevailed for decades in American society.
It unfolds as a personal and political journey into the Appalachian coalfields, exploring the role of media representation in the creation of the iconic American “hillbilly,” by exploring the social, cultural, and political underpinnings of this stereotype.
Since our country’s inception, there has been a great divide between Urban and Rural America. North fights South, Democrats rail against Republicans, “cosmopolitan” looks down on “country.”
As a result, certain regions are viewed as “other,” and blamed for America’s social ills. S
Hillbilly could not have been timelier: Since the 2016 presidential election, the cultural divide in America has expanded even further. Stereotyping and slurs are rampant, finger-pointing and name-calling abound.
Hillbilly centers on an unexpected group of artists, poets, and activists, queer musicians, “Affrilachian” poets, and feminists—all unexpected voices emerging from this historically misunderstood region.
A relevant documentary about how we see and think about Appalachian and rural identity in contemporary America, Hillbilly calls for dialogue between urban and rural communities during this divisive time in our nation’s history.
