Archive · 10 Aug 2025
Nova '78: William S. Burroughs' 1978 Multimedia Celebration
Imagine a movie about a special event in 1978 in New York City, called Nova ’78.
It's like a time capsule, showing a party for a famous writer named William S. Burroughs.
Think of it as a gathering of artists and thinkers.
The movie shows how the art scene was changing after a time called punk.
Burroughs was like a super-smart person who knew a lot about the future.
He talked about big ideas like space and how people are controlled by society.
The movie gives a glimpse into that time and shows that Burroughs was ahead of everyone in understanding where things were heading.
Nova ’78 is a documentary capturing the essence of New York's art scene in the aftermath of punk.
The film focuses on the 1978 Nova Convention, a multimedia event celebrating William S. Burroughs.
The event featured performances by various artists and figures from the counterculture.
Burroughs, at 64, is depicted as a figure in a time of cultural change.
The film also portrays Burroughs as a visionary, predicting the future through his ideas on societal control.
- Who
- William S. Burroughs, and various artists.
- What
- Documentary of the Nova Convention, a multimedia celebration of William S. Burroughs.
- When
- 1978 (event); released at Locarno Film Festival.
- Where
- Manhattan's Entermedia Theater (now the Village East).
- Why
- To capture the cultural essence of New York in the aftermath of punk and show Burroughs as a visionary.
- Title
- Nova ’78
- Festival
- Locarno (Out of Competition)
- Directors
- Aaron Brookner, Rodrigo Areias
- Running time
- 1 hr 18 mins