KEROUAC’S ROAD: THE BEAT OF A NATION

Dir. Ebs Burnough | Documentary | U.K. / U.S.A. | 2025 | 1 hr. 29 min.

Followed by a discussion with director Ebs Burnough and composer John Forté

A reception will follow the discussion

A tale of two young men on an expedition across postwar America, Jack Kerouac’s revered 1957 novel On the Road is an ode to freedom, spontaneity, and pursuit of truth. This new documentary places it in a present-day context. Through interviews with today’s seekers, singer-songwriter Natalie Merchant, stand-up comedian and television host W. Kamau Bell, actors Matt Dillon and Josh Brolin, and others, the film examines the novel’s enduring appeal, Kerouac’s complex background and history, and how his personal life influenced his singular writing.

Viewer advisory: This film contains sequences with flashing lights which may affect viewers with light-sensitivity or photosensitive epilepsy.