Burroughs: the Movie, Howard Brookner’s iconic documentary about William S. Burroughs, premiered at the New York Film Festival in 1983; thirty-one years later, a restoration of the film screened in the festival’s Revivals section, followed by a Q&A featuring some of the people behind the film, including Jim Jarmusch, who recorded sound on the project. When working on this restoration, Aaron Brookner, nephew of the late Howard, discovered a wealth of unused footage of his uncle, including clips of him making the film.

Uncle Howard, screening in the 54th New York Film Festival’s Spotlight on Documentary section, combines this footage with contemporary interviews to create a unique portrait of Howard, who passed away from AIDS in 1989. Take a look at the trailer above, and click here to view three clips from this special film.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest videos from the festival and the Film Society of Lincoln Center.