White Lightnin'

White Lightnin'
Directed by	Dominic Murphy
Written by	Eddy Moretti, Shane Smith
Produced by	Sam Taylor, Mike Downey
Starring	Edward Hogg, Carrie Fisher, Muse Watson
Cinematography	Tim Maurice-Jones
Edited by	Sam Sneade
Running time	92 minutes
Country	UK
Language	English

White Lightnin' is a 2009 dramatic thriller film directed by Dominic Murphy and written by Eddy Moretti and Shane Smith.

White Lightnin' was inspired by the life of Jesco White, an Appalachian mountain dancer. It was shown at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.

Plot

Jesco White is the last of the West Virginia mountain dancers. He is the son of D Ray White, the greatest mountain dancer of all time. Ever since Jesco was a child, D Ray tried to keep him on a straight path — one that would put him on the right hand of the Lord. Dancing was just one way to keep Jesco from losing his soul. But from a young age, there was temptation drawing him away from D Ray, away from the dancing. There were the voices in his head, tormenting him. Maybe that’s why Jesco loved to get high.

Hooked on sniffing gas, glue, lighter fluid, airplane cement, Jesco was constantly finding himself in trouble with the law. He landed in the reform school more than once, and it was here that he spent most of his adolescence, left to endure the horror of the voices. While incarcerated, Jesco had to endure the brutal and senseless murder of D Ray.

Years after his time in reform school, Jesco had made the best of staying true to his daddy’s word. He tried to stay as straight as he could, and used the dancing to do so. But the devil has his ways too, and soon Jesco was back to his old vices. On his way around the south, dancing and performing his version of Elvis Presley in whatever local dives he could, Jesco met the woman of his dreams—four foot three inch Enid Carter. Enid liked to be called Percilla. An off-beat pair, the two managed to keep all their wickedness inside the family.

Life was good in this little family until one logging season brought two visitors to town… Long and Davie—the two men responsible for killing D Ray years earlier. It was as though God were testing Jesco again, tempting him with the taste of revenge. And so this temptation was satisfied, and Jesco got the revenge he craved. Running from the police, Jesco hid himself in a small cabin deep in the West Virginia hills. It was here that Jesco reached a dead end. If it was not for that one last bloody act of salvation, Jesco’s soul would have been lost forever.

Main Cast

• Edward Hogg as Jesco White
• Carrie Fisher as Cilla
• Stephanie Astalos-Jones as Birty May
• Kirk Bovill as Long
• Muse Watson as D. Ray White

Reception

White Lightnin' received positive reviews from critics receiving an 80% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Awards

• Golden Gateway of India Award 11th Mumbai Film Festival 2009
• "Golden Hitchcock" at the Dinard Festival of British Film, 2009
• Fantasia Festival "Jury Prize for Best First Feature"
• British Independent Film Awards Most Promising Newcomer for Edward Hogg