National Geographic Broadens Access to Documentary on the Impacts of Coal and America’s Energy Future with Free Streaming Release of From the Ashes

Today Through July 3, Film Will Be Available for Free via You Tube,
Facebook, Hulu, Amazon, Google Play, Video on Demand, NatGeoTV.com and
Nat Geo TV Apps (iOS and Android Devices, Apple TV, Roku and Samsung
Connected TVs)

“Heartbreaking and enlightening at the same time — From the
Ashes reminds us how much Americans yearn for the dignity of work,
and just how much truth must be restored to our
political dialogue before that can happen.” –
Former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry

WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–In the wake of President Trump’s controversial decision to withdraw from
the Paris Climate Agreement and its imminent consequences on climate
change, National Geographic Documentary Films announced today it would
make the highly acclaimed coal documentary From the Ashes
available for free across several streaming and video on demand
platforms. The unique distribution furthers the network’s commitment to
providing audiences with the resources and knowledge needed to preserve
the planet and change the world.

Hailed by critics as a “compelling piece of advocacy journalism” that
“couldn’t be more timely,” From the Ashes (official
trailer) captures Americans in communities across the country
as they wrestle with the legacy of the coal industry and what its future
should be under the Trump administration.

Starting today, through July 3, this important and timely film will be
available commercial-free and unauthenticated via YouTube, Facebook,
Hulu, Amazon, Google Play and VOD and unauthenticated on Natgeotv.com
and Nat Geo TV Apps (iOS and Android devices, Apple TV, Roku and Samsung
Connected TVs).

“From the Ashes is more relevant than ever. The film explores the
complexities of the coal industry and its impact on the environment,
economy and public health,” said Tim Pastore, president of original
programming and production for National Geographic channels. “At
National Geographic, we are committed to furthering the national
dialogue on clean energy and are thrilled to make From the Ashes available
for free across such a wide array of streaming platforms.”

From the Ashes is produced by the Academy Award- and Emmy
award-winning production company RadicalMedia in partnership with
Bloomberg Philanthropies and is directed by Emmy-nominated filmmaker
Michael Bonfiglio, produced by Sidney Beaumont and executive produced by
Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Joe Berlinger, as well as Jon Kamen,
Katherine Oliver and Justin Wilkes.

In a video
message, Michael Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies,
said, “Coal affects our lives and planet in important ways but people
often take positions on it without seeing the full picture. So this
week, National Geographic is making From the Ashes available for
free on a number of platforms. We encourage family and friends to watch
the film and join the CrowdRise
campaign to support organizations that are helping create new jobs
in coal country.”

The film goes beyond the rhetoric of the “war on coal” to present
compelling and often-heartbreaking stories about what is at stake for
our economy, health and climate. With 7,500 U.S. deaths from coal
pollution each year, the film invites audiences to learn more about this
dying industry and how it impacts their everyday lives.

From the Ashes premiered earlier this year at the 2017 Tribeca
Film Festival, followed by a limited theatrical release in New York and
Los Angeles and then a global broadcast debut on National Geographic
beginning Sunday, June 25. National Geographic will continue to roll out
the film globally across 171 countries and 45 languages.

Additionally, Bloomberg Philanthropies organized a worldwide screening
tour of From the Ashes, hosting viewings in several cities
including Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami,
Nashville, San Francisco, Vancouver, and Washington D.C., as well as
stops in Brussels, London, Mexico City and Paris. Screenings in each
location were followed by panel discussions with filmmakers, film
subjects, environmental and public health leaders as well as government
officials. The film has also been screened at more than 200 colleges and
universities nationwide.

For more information on From the Ashes, visit FromTheAshesFilm.com.

Follow for updates on Facebook, Instagram
and Twitter @FromTheAshesDoc
or visit and visit National
Geographic Education for educational resources focusing on coal and
other sources of energy.

About National Geographic Documentary Films:

National Geographic Documentary Films is committed to bringing the world
premium, feature documentaries that cover timely, provocative and
globally relevant stories from the very best documentary filmmakers in
the world. National Geographic Documentary Films is a division of
National Geographic Partners, a joint venture between National
Geographic and 21st Century Fox. Furthering knowledge and understanding
of our world has been the core purpose of National Geographic for 129
years, and now we are committed to going deeper, pushing boundaries,
going further for our consumers … and reaching over 730 million people
around the world in 171 countries and 45 languages every month as we do
it. NGP returns 27 percent of our proceeds to the nonprofit National
Geographic Society to fund work in the areas of science, exploration,
conservation and education. For more information visit natgeotv.com or
nationalgeographic.com, or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest.

About Bloomberg Philanthropies

Bloomberg Philanthropies works in more than 120 countries around the
world to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people.
The organization focuses on five key areas for creating lasting change:
Arts, Education, Environment, Government Innovation and Public Health.
Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg’s
charitable activities, including his foundation and his personal giving.
In 2016, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed over half a billion
dollars. For more information, please visit bloomberg.org or
follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat
and Twitter @BloombergDotOrg.

About RadicalMedia

RadicalMedia is an Oscar-, Emmy-, Peabody- and Grammy award-winning
studio, with recent credits that include MARS for National
Geographic; “Stan Against Evil” for IFC; “Hamilton’s America” for PBS’
Great Performances; Netflix’s “Abstract: The Art of Design,” which had
its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival; and “May It Last: A
Portrait of the Avett Brothers,” which won the Audience Award: 24 Beats
Per Second at SXSW 2017 and was acquired by HBO. RadicalMedia’s vast
body of work also includes the Oscar-winning documentary “The Fog of
War”; Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning “What Happened, Miss Simone?” for
Netflix; “Keith Richards: Under the Influence” for Netflix; and Epix’s
docuseries “America Divided”; as well as numerous Joe Berlinger-directed
projects, including the Oscar- and Emmy-nominated “Paradise Lost:
Purgatory” for HBO; “Metallica: Some Kind of Monster”; “Under African
Skies” for A&E “Whitey: The US vs. James J. Bulger” for CNN and the
four-part docuseries “Killing Richard Glossip,” debuting this month on
Investigation Discovery. See more at RadicalMedia.com and
find us on Facebook, Twitter
and Instagram.

Contacts

National Geographic Media Contacts:
Erin
Griffin, 202-912-6681
[email protected]
or
Kristin
Montalbano, 202-912-3244
[email protected]