Nova '78
Directed by Aaron Brookner
2026Documentary78 minUK, Portugal
Never-before-seen footage of the legendary 1978 Nova Convention, where William S. Burroughs, Patti Smith, Frank Zappa and Allen Ginsberg collided in an explosion of counterculture.
Synopsis
NOVA ’78 is an electrifying journey into the heart of 1970s counterculture, built around never-before-seen footage from the legendary Nova Convention. This explosive three-day event in New York City celebrated William S. Burroughs’ return to America after living more than twenty years in Latin America, North Africa, Paris, and London.
The director
Aaron Brookner
Aaron Brookner is an American filmmaker whose Uncle Howard (2016) recovered the lost archive of his uncle, the director Howard Brookner. Nova '78, co-directed with Rodrigo Areias, is built from 44 rolls of Howard's rediscovered 16mm footage and premiered at Locarno in 2025.
