William S. Burroughs, Patti Smith, Allen Ginsberg, Laurie Anderson, Frank Zappa, Philip Glass, John Cage, and Merce Cunningham, among other underground artists of the ’70s, form the remarkable lineup of Nova ’78, a documentary that recovers the lost recordings of the mythical namesake event organized in a fully effervescent New York City.
At the center is William S. Burroughs, mastermind of the gathering and an essential Beat icon. A singular thinker and standard-bearer of transgressive, political art, he stands at the heart of this documentary, brought vividly to life through restored archival footage by Aaron Brookner (Uncle Howard), himself a natural-born nonconformist.
From Allen Ginsberg’s magnificent poetry recital to Patti Smith’s raw performances, Nova ’78 emerges as a masterful lesson in counterculture. A documentary to be watched in a state of absolute fascination.
With the presence of editor Tomás Baltazar
Credits
Year: 2025
Runtime: 78
Country: United Kingdom, Portugal
Direction: Rodrigo Areias, Aaron Brookner
Screenplay: Aaron Brookner
Cast: William S. Burroughs, Philip Glass, Frank Zappa
Cinematography: Howard Brookner, Tom DiCillo, James A. Lebovitz
Subtitles: Jaume Pérez Massó
Genre: Documentary
Contact: Pinball London
Wins & nominations
2025 | Locarno Film Festival
