Question: Thurmond is a town in Fayette County, West Virginia, on the New River, the town was the filming location for which 1987 American drama film written and directed by John Sayles?

Context paragraphs:
Midland Trail High School: Midland Trail High School is a public 9-12 school located in Hico, West Virginia located upon the historic Midland Trail highway (US Rt 60,) from which it gets its name.  The 65 acre campus is located 6 mi north of the New River Gorge National River and New River Bridge in Fayette County.  This area is in the south central area of West Virginia just 50 mi east-southeast of Charleston, the state capitol.

Belva, West Virginia: Belva is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in west Nicholas County and north Fayette County, West Virginia, United States; while the CDP only includes the Nicholas County portion, the Fayette County portion is considered part of the community.  The town is situated at the bottomland surrounding the convergence of Bells Creek with Twentymile Creek and, subsequently, Twenty Mile Creek with the Gauley River.  Belva is also the location of the convergence of two state highways: West Virginia Route 16 and West Virginia Route 39.

Fayette, West Virginia: Fayette (also Fayette Station) is an unincorporated community in Fayette County, West Virginia, United States.  Its elevation is 919 feet (280 m).  It is the major take-out for the lower section of the New River Gorge National River.

Beury Mountain Wildlife Management Area: Beury Mountain Wildlife Management Area is located on 9232 acre near Babcock State Park and New River Gorge National River in Fayette County, West Virginia.  Beury Mountain's sloping terrain is covered with mixed hardwoods and oak-hickory second growth woodlands overlooking New River Gorge.  Camping is not allowed at Beury Mountain WMA, but is available at nearby Babcock State Park.

Thurmond station: Thurmond is a train station in Thurmond, West Virginia, United States, that is served by Amtrak, the national railroad passenger system.  The "Cardinal", which runs three times each week between Chicago, Illinois and New York City, New York, passes by the station three times each week in both directions, but since Thurmond is a flag stop, the trains only stop "when passengers are present, either on the train or station platform, and ticketed to and/or from this station."  The station is on CSX Transportation's New River Line and is located on the east bank of the New River.

Prince Brothers General Store-Berry Store: Prince Brothers General Store-Berry Store, also known as the Prince Store, is a historic general store located at Prince, Fayette County, West Virginia.  It was built about 1900, and is a two story frame commercial building.  It is the last surviving building of the New River coal field commercial businesses dated to the turn of the 20th century.  It is owned by the National Park Service as part of the New River Gorge National River.

New River Coalfield: The New River Coalfield is located in northeastern Raleigh County and southern Fayette County, West Virginia.  Commercial mining of coal began in the 1870s and thrived into the 20th century.  The coal in this field is a low volatile coal, and the seams of coal that have been mined include Sewell, Fire Creek, and Beckley.  This is very high quality bituminous coal rated at approximately 15,000 btu .  The New River coalfield is named after the north flowing New River.  Over 60 coal towns were once located there, supported by independent commercial districts at Beckley, Oak Hill, Mount Hope, and Fayetteville.  By the 21st century many coal camps had partially or completely returned to nature.  These company towns were located along Dunloup (Loup) Creek, Laurel Creek, White Oak Creek, lower Piney Creek, and, of course, the New River.  The mainline of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway ran right through the center of this coalfield, with spurs branching off in many directions, and rail yards were maintained at Quinnimont, Raleigh, and Thurmond, WV.  The Virginian Railway's main line also passed through the western side of the field as well.  Companies such as the New River Company, New River & Pocahontas Consolidated Coal Co., and Mary Frances Coal Co. were the largest operators in the New River Coalfield, but there were many smaller ones as well.  These companies recruited native born whites, immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe, and African-Americans from the South to work in their coal mines and railroads.  The mines began to close down after World War II and today there are very few active coal mines in the field.  The New River Gorge is now the domain of the National Park Service and they have done what their budget allows to preserve the coal heritage of the area.

Thurmond, West Virginia: Thurmond is a town in Fayette County, West Virginia, United States, on the New River.  The population was five at the 2010 census.  During the heyday of coal mining in the New River Gorge, Thurmond was a prosperous town with a number of businesses and facilities for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway.  The town was the filming location for John Sayles' 1987 movie "Matewan" since it still possesses many of the characteristics of a 1920s Appalachian coal town.

Matewan: Matewan ( ) is a 1987 American drama film 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.

Coal camps in Fayette County, West Virginia: The coal towns, or "coal camps" of Fayette County, West Virginia were situated to exploit the area's rich coal seams.  Many of these towns were located in deep ravines that afforded direct access to the coal through the hillsides, allowing mined coal to be dropped or conveyed downhill to railway lines at the valley floor.  Many of these encampments were set up as company towns, and when their mines closed, the towns vanished.  A few, like Thurmond, West Virginia, have survived in a reduced state.  Fayette County covers portions of three coalfields: the New River Coalfield, the Kanawha Coalfield and the Greenbrier Coalfield.  Below is a partial list of known coal towns within the three coalfields: the New River Coalfield, the Kanawha Coalfield and the Greenbrier Coalfield.  More may be found

Supporting paragraphs: Thurmond, West Virginia Matewan
Answer: Matewan