15. FONOMO — Nova '78

NOVA '78. Countercultural Time Capsule New York was, in the late 1970s, the scene of a unique countercultural ferment — in artistic and social dimensions. It is at this time and place that Aaron Brookner and Rodrigo Areias's film NOVA '78 takes viewers. The starting point is the Nova Convention, a three-day conference held in 1978. The event, which brought together many truly iconic figures, was an opportunity to celebrate William S. Burroughs' return to the United States after more than two decades spent in Latin America, North Africa, Paris and London, among others.

44 scrolls perdida

The list of artists appearing in the documentary can make you dizzy. On the screen (besides Burroughs himself, of course) you can see Patti Smith, Allen Ginsberg, Laurie Anderson, Philip Glass or Frank Zappa - and these are just some of the names. However, this is not only the uniqueness of NOVA '78 — the story of its creation is just as fascinating. In 2011, Aaron Brookner began organizing the archives of his uncle, Howard Brookner, the creator of the documentary Burroughs: The Movie. He found 183 negatives shot by Howard between 1978 and 1982, and found 44 of them irretrievably lost. By the time an archivist at the John Giorno Foundation called him with the information that more boxes of his uncle's videos had been found. These were 44 reels on which previously unseen performances, conversations and reactions of the audience during the Nova Convention were captured.

The faithful recording of NOVA '78's unique moment presents precisely this missing material — without contemporary commentary, captured with all the rough imperfection of the analog recording. The most outstanding creators of the era are shown here exactly as they were. Brookner and Areias deliberately do not polish imperfections, do not correct inaccurate frames, unsharp shots, do not remove zooms and slaps. They allow images to speak their own language. Areias calls the film a portrait of a lost New York and a creative utopia.

NOVA '78 — Creators Aaron Brookner is an American-British director, producer, screenwriter and visual artist. He studied film at Vassar College and began his career as Jim Jarmusch's assistant at Coffee and Cigarettes, among others. Rodrigo Areias started as a musician and music producer, today he is one of the most active Portuguese independent filmmakers. He directs, produces, creates video art and music videos — his productions have gone to Cannes, Berlin, Venice and Locarno, among others.

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— 15th Fonomo Music & Film Festival Bydgoszcz, Pomerania and Kujawy

Organizer: Nowa Sztuka Wet Music Foundation

The Main Partner and Patron of the Festival is the Local Government of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship.

The action is co-financed by European funds. The project is co-financed by the City of Bydgoszcz.

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Honorary patronage: Marshal of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship Piotr Całbecki

Patrocinador: Tesla Electrorecycling

Partners: Księga Ręka Piotr Kikta, Replika.pl sp. z o.o., Radosław Drwencki — Dawid Cholewiński Projects — music workshops, dreadmaker, Etnodrums Krzysztof Majczuk Tattoo Collective, Daron Technik, Monde, Art Connections Foundation, Małgorzata Dziemitko

Cooperation: City Cultural Centre in Bydgoszcz, City Gallery bwa in Bydgoszcz, Club Mózg, Velvet Cafe, Rothera Mills, Bakery Bydgoszcz, Przeźrocza Film Festival

Media patronage: Radio Kapitał, TVP Bydgoszcz, TVP Info, Polish Radio PIK, BIK Noises and melodies, NN6T, Glissando, Undertone, Culture within reach