Matewan (/ˈmeɪtwɒn/) is a 1987 American independent film[3][4] drama written and directed by John Sayles, and starring Chris Cooper (in his film debut), James Earl Jones, Mary McDonnell and Will Oldham, with David Strathairn, Kevin Tighe and Gordon Clapp in supporting roles.[5] The film dramatizes the events of the 1920 Battle of Matewan, a coal miners' strike in Matewan, a small town in the hills of West Virginia.
Matewan was a critical success but a box office failure, grossing under $2 million on an estimated $4 million budget.[6] The film received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography, and received a Criterion Collection re-release in 2019.