Snake Man of Appalachia

Verlin Short, an out-of-work coal miner, struggles with the challenges of supporting his close-knit family on a severely limited income, while balancing his home life with his deep immersion in the potentially deadly serpent- handling religion.

Verlin's plan to evacuate hundreds of rattlesnakes and copperheads from a soon-to-be strip mined eastern Kentucky mountain puts him at odds with Reva, who feels it is a fool's errand for .. show full overview

Verlin's church calls on him to provide snakes for a serpent handling convention in West Virginia. Verlin is compelled to do his part, but knows if caught taking snakes out of Kentucky, he risks fines and imprisonment.

Frustrated with living under her parents' rules, headstrong Denishea is determined to get her license, drop out of school, marry her boyfriend, and leave Kentucky forever. Verlin and Reva struggle to steer their daughter toward right decisions.

Verlin and Reva worry that the family is too disjointed and vow to enjoy more time with the kids. As a result, the twins are grounded for misbehavior, Denishea clashes with Reva, and the entire family rebels during Verlin's snake-handling lesson.

An unexpected inspection by the Kentucky game warden that once arrested him forces Verlin to get his reptile license or lose his snakes. Under deadline, the hurdles seems insurmountable as the family struggles to scrape together money for permits.