Before the counter-culture swept the American public in rebellion of a post-war state of poverty & pain; one can’t forget the trailblazing founding fathers of the movement – The Beats! This rebellious ragtag group of prolific poets, Jazz musicians, writers, thinkers, & even comedians fought back against the 50’s Father Knows Best conservative culture that swept the nation, only further perpetuated by the media & Hollywood.

Between fighting obscenity laws, organizing against American imperialism, being on the frontlines for gay rights, & shattering the stigmas of drug culture – the Beats helped produce a modicum of legendary poetry, cinema, literature, & albums that still reverberate through the culture of radical art in present day America. From William S Burroughs’ tour de force “Naked Lunch” to Kerouac’s speed-fueled “On The Road” – they created a controversial & iconic footprint in literature that even exploded into the academic world, despite having a footprint in the underground scene. Yet their imprint in cinema is their biggest overlooked artistic achievement. While fighting on the frontlines to redefine how we read & express ourselves through the universal language of art, many in the Beat Generation were fighting in the vanguard of video experimentation employing the experimental cut-up style Burroughs was experimenting with, but through the lens of filmmaking.

We’re proud to present this barrage of bold & daring cinema from one of the last true innovative & infamous art movements from the West – The Beat Generation!