A three-hour documentary that highlights the connection between Appalachian people and the land will air on UNC-TV at 8 p.m. Thursday, May 11.

The film tells the story of traditional mountain culture, music and storytelling and traces the ancestral elements that shaped those traditions. But the overarching theme of the film focuses on the land as the defining force in the character and will of the people.

The film captures the struggle to protect the land from outside forces that see the Appalachians as a backward region ripe for exploitation — from coal companies to timber barons.

The film features an interview with Johnny Cash, and music by Rosanne Cash, Loretta Lynn, Marty Stuart, Ricky Skaggs and others. The three-hour film has a companion book and soundtrack CD. For more information, see www.sierraclub.org/appalachia/film.