Description
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 over twenty years in Latin America, North Africa, Paris, and London.
It brought together icons such as Patti Smith, Frank Zappa, Laurie Anderson, Philip Glass, Allen Ginsberg, Merce Cunningham, John Cage, and many more. A cultural time capsule on the enduring power of creative freedom, the footage captures backstage moments, candid encounters, and raw performances at the heart of the downtown scene.
Originally shot on 16mm by filmmaker Howard Brookner and long considered lost, the footage also marked the beginning of his cult classic Burroughs: The Movie.
Original score by The Legendary Tigerman.
1978/2025 | 78 mins | UK, Portugal | In English | Documentary, Historical, Art, Music
Directors: Aaron Brookner, Rodrigo Areias
Producers: Paul Vaccaro, Aaron Brookner, Rodrigo Areias
Cinematography: Howard Brookner, Tom DiCillo, Jim Lebovitz
Sound Recording: Jim Jarmusch, Howard Brookner
Featuring: William S. Burroughs, Lenny Kaye, Patti Smith, Laurie Anderson, Frank Zappa, Julie Heyward, Timothy Leary, Anne Waldman, Merce Cunningham, Brion Gysin, Philip Glass, John Giorno, James Grauerholz, Rebecca Christensen, Allen Ginsberg, Peter Orlovsky, Steven Hall, Steven Taylor, Jackie Curtis, Melody London, Lucien Carr, John Cage, Les Levine, Robert Anton Wilson, Terry Southern, Ed Sanders
