Release Year: 2005

Duration: 60 min

Availability: Worldwide

Related: Life & Culture, Science & Nature, Nina Gilden Seavey Films

The Open Road: America Looks at Aging is an hour-long documentary that examines the impending retirement of America’s baby boomers on both society as a whole and on individual choices for the future. The film explores the work and lifestyle options of a host of individuals, at various representative stages of retirement, and reveals the manner in which they have shaped - and continue to shape - the critical “third stage” of life.

The Open Road premiered on PBS in spring 2005 and has played part of a nation-wide dialogue that has been included in town meetings in 9 select cities, locally-sponsored discussion groups throughout the US, articles written on the various aspects of retirement and its impact authored by veteran journalists, and the creation of a model communities program. The national airing of the documentary, coupled with this intensive grassroots outreach effort, hopes to spur discussion amongst Americans from all walks of life and from all geographic regions, to facilitate understanding of the import of this imminent demographic change and to begin planning for the challenges and obstacles – both societal and individual - that must be overcome to successfully shape America’s future into the first half of the 21st century.

The Open Road is made possible by a grant by the Atlantic Philanthropies and is presented in collaboration with “RespectAbility,” a consortium of over 20 national not-for-profit organizations that will provide the basis for the nation-wide outreach and community dialogues.  The film is produced and directed by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Nina Gilden Seavey, Director of the Documentary Center at The George Washington University, Washington, DC.