Documentarist whose celebrated films have focused almost exclusively on the struggle of workers to form unions. Kopple began making films in her clinical psychology class while at college in West Virginia and went to live among her coal-mining subjects in Kentucky to film her Oscar-winning debut, "Harlan County, U.S.A." (1976). The film chronicles the miners' violent struggle to join the United Mine Workers union and the effect of the strike on the lives of them and their families. Praised for putting a human face on a political issue, it was one of 25 films chosen by the Library of Congress
Began making films in a clinical psychology class in college
Worked professionally as an editor, soundwoman and camerawoman on documentary films often for the Maysles brothers
Was camerawoman on a video about the Young Republicans for Nixon at the Republican convention and soundwoman on film about the Year of the Woman at the Democratic convention
1972
Was one of the 18 anonymous directors of "Winter Solider"
