Kerouac’s Road: The Beat of a Nation - Director Ebs Burnough

Ebs Burnough made his directorial debut with the documentary “The Capote Tapes". He is back with KEROUAC’S ROAD: THE BEAT OF A NATION - Through the lens of Kerouac’s novel On The Road, the documentary follows a few different Americans of various backgrounds on their own personal life journeys traveling across the country, while also looking at the impact and legacy the book has had on generations of people. In addition, the documentary features actors Matt Dillon, Josh Brolin, Michael Imperioli, and W. Kamau Bell as they discuss their personal connection to Kerouac’s On The Road novel and how it formed their relationship with their outlook on life. Director Ebs Burnough joins us for a conversation on the relevancy and controversy that swirls around Jack Kerouac’s masterpiece, the cultural impact the book had on the cultural zeitgeist of the 1960’s and why being on the road still matters to people everywhere. 

Ebs Burnough is a filmmaker and producer. He is a former Senior Advisor to Michelle Obama and served as Deputy White House Social Secretary overseeing major events like the G-20 Summit and curating arts and culture at The White House. With nearly two decades of experience in politics, public policy, and the arts, Burnough is CEO of Hatch House Media, a production company focused on film, TV, theater, and gaming. In 2019, he made his directorial debut with The Capote Tapes, a documentary that premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and was released globally in 2021. Burnough is a graduate of Northwestern University and serves as the Board Chair of The Sundance Institute, Burnough is also a visiting scholar at Oxford University.