The premiere of the documentary I was Jack Kerouac by director Lisa Boeva takes place on December 16th. The film focuses on the beat generation and was created with the support of New Bulgarian University. The film is based on unique interviews filmed in the US, together with actor Izko Finzi. In the film, the actor performs an interesting role. When asked what it is, Lisa Boeva says he is like the chorus in a Greek play that links the acts and comments on the story. This may seem strange but only if one is not acquainted with the other projects of the artistic duo.

“I have been working for a long time on the topic of the beat generation and hippie culture. The period started in 1947 when the first hitchhiking trip of Jack Kerouac took place and he described it in his book On the Road. In my work I have reached the period 1972-73. Broadly speaking, there are beatniks, hipsters and hippies. But the film focuses on the beat generation only. In 2007, together with Izko Finzi we went to the opening of The Beat Museum in San Francisco. Kerouac’s novel On the Road translated in all languages including Bulgarian is put on display there. We met with some of the companions of Kerouac in his adventures described in the novel. Carolyn Cassady, the prototype of literary character Camille Moriarty, was also present at the opening. She is the wife of Neal Cassady – the prototype of Dean Moriarty. Their three sons were also there. We had a lively conversation with them recorded. Carolyn told us many interesting things. During our last trip to the US we learned with regret that she passed away. We met Al Hinkle (described in the book as Big Dunkel) and he invited us to visit him in San Jose. He talked to us for hours. When I told him about the impact of the book on several generations of Bulgarians he was amazed. It was interesting to him that people all across the world are interested in this story and the characters in the book. We met other people that were close to Kerouac and they told us about him from their own perspective. We learned a number of unexpected details but it is better to see the movie.”

English: Alexander Markov