Synopsis:

When highway signs commemorating folk hero Ginger Goodwin disappear, the documentary Goodwin’s Way finds the nearby Cumberland, B.C. at a crossroads with its history.

Goodwin, a rebellious labour activist, was slain by police under mysterious circumstances almost a century ago, yet his name still elicits wounds that date back to the town’s coal mining past.

Residents weave an oral tapestry of fact and legend – some remember Goodwin as a criminal, while many others admire the ideals of equality and dignity he fought for. Those ideals have long been overshadowed by Cumberland’s dependency on a resource economy, which are chronicled from boom times to bust.

Now, as young families set their sights on building a sustainable generation, a new proposal for a coal mine threatens to make history repeat itself. Amidst an effort to oppose the project, residents young and old reconnect with Ginger Goodwin’s legacy – his ‘way’.

Goodwin’s Way straddles the dividing line between historical and current-event documentary genres to tell the story of a community fighting for autonomy over its past, and its future.

NOTE FROM THE PRODUCER:
This film is now available to stream for free for any audience. If you need are interested in hosting a screening an offline copy of the film, or have any other questions, please email: washboardfilms [at] gmail [dot] com

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