Anthem: An American Road Story

by Shainee Gabel, Kristin Hahn

Armed with a Powerbook, a couple of video cameras, and the names of over two hundred Americans they viewed as visionaries or cultural icons, Gabel and Hahn embarked on a journey that would take them from historic New Orleans to the rainforests of Washington; from the skyscraper-lined avenues of New York City to the dusty roads of the Great Plains. Never did they imagine that they'd drive reckelessly through the back roads of Aspen with Hunter S. Thompson, or survive the hottest day in Chicago history with Studs Terkel. From cities and towns across the land, they gathered the thoughts and visions of the people and, in doing so, captured the powerful, collective voice they call ANTHEM: a unique, optimistic chorus that defines the American Dream on the eve of the twenty-first century.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction

394 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1997

About the author

SHAINEE GABEL is a filmmaker and author. Her film A Love Song for Bobby Long, starring John Travolta and Scarlett Johansson, was released in 2005 and garnered a Best Actress Golden Globe nomination for Scarlett Johansson. Her first feature, the documentary Anthem, received a multi-national theatrical release, followed by an extended run on HBO, was short-listed and honored by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences as one of that year's "outstanding" documentaries and received the International FIPRESCI Critics Jury Prize. A companion narrative book, Anthem: An American Road Story, was published by Harper Collins and was very well received by critics.

Shainee has written for several film/television studios and production companies (including Paramount, Warner Bros., ABC, Touchstone, Disney and HBO as well as domestic and international equity funds). Most recently, Shainee completed an adaptation of the novel Wide Blue Yonder that she is set to direct and co-produce. Shainee was also asked to write 2 episodes of a 6 part series focusing on global women's issues based on the New York Times bestseller Half The Sky written by New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl Wudunn. The series is currently being shot in Ethiopia, Somaliland and India with each episode to be directed by an actress. Marisa Tomei and Lucy Liu have completed the first two episodes. The rest are set to be directed by either Natalie Portman, Drew Barrymore or Zoe Saldana among others (schedule dependant). The series will air next year.

Shainee continues to work as a screenwriter while nurturing several directing projects including an historical epic for Brad Pitt's company Plan B (the company's inaugural development project), a remake of an award-winning Italian film for Beacon Pictures (The Hurricane, 13 Days, Air Force One) and a novel that Shainee is writing and will then adapt and direct for Alloy Entertainment (Gossip Girl, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, etc.). Shainee is also in development on several other projects including working with producers Melanie Sloan and Gilles Arondeau (Jaz Films) to develop the psychological thriller Hangman which she will write for Scarlett Johansson. In addition, she is developing an adaptation to write and direct for Disney and also preparing to direct her first web series.

Prior to making Anthem, Shainee spent two years as the co-creator and inaugural Programming Director of the Los Angeles Film Festival (now a top international festival) and three years as the Director of Programming for Film Independent, a non-profit film organization that hosts the Independent Spirit Awards among many other events and programs for independent filmmakers.

While at Film Independent, Shainee produced her first short film while heading a film-mentoring program for young women in Los Angeles that Shainee developed and ran. The mentoring program was one of several achievements of Project:Involve - an initiative to foster diversity in filmmaking that now operates nationwide. A cinematography boot camp with A-list cinematographers in association with Kodak as well as various seminars and screening series with both emerging and established filmmakers were among the many programs Shainee created and guided during her tenure at Film Independent.

Reviews

[Greg]

A non-fiction story of two twenty-something year old women in the late 90's who travelled around the country together interviewing very famous--and sometimes not-so-famous-people who are making important marks on the American landscape. They questions these people about the American dream, what they've learned over the years, etc...Some very interesting people they cover, including Ben & Jerry, Studs Terkel, Michael Stipe, among others...I'm still reading it, but enjoying it very much!

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this one back in college--don't remember how I heard about it but I loved the concept. These two young women secured interviews with loads of Americans who have been in the public eye for various reasons (Studs Turkel, Hunter S. Thompson, Robert Redford, etc.) and asked them each about their lives, in trying to capture a new definition of the American Dream. A great non-fiction read that inspired me at the time.

[Rin · Rating 5 out of 5]

One f the greatest feelings in life is freedom, and only second comes knowledge. this is an amazing idea and the movie compainion is awesome, too

[Florence Buchholz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty pedestrian stuff by two young first time filmmakers.