Nova '78 poster

Nova '78

Directed by Rodrigo Areias, 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.

StatusNov 28
ReleaseNovember 28, 2026
Runtime78 min
FormatsDCP · Digital file
On screens1 upcoming

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

Rodrigo Areias, 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.

On screens

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