in art history and film at New York University, where for his senior thesis he began what would go on to be the highly acclaimed feature documentary on William S. Burroughs.

Janet Maslin of the New York Times wrote: "The quality of discovery about 'Burroughs' was very much the director's doing, and Mr. Brookner demonstrates an unusual degree of liveliness and curiosity in exploring his subject.

In 1987, Brookner began production on the American Playhouse/Columbia Studios feature he had written and was directing, Bloodhounds of Broadway starring Madonna, Matt Dillon, Jennifer Grey, Rutger Hauer, and others.

The New York Times wrote it "was a race against the clock" as Brookner was gravely ill while fighting the studio for final cut and holding readings for his next film Scary Kisses (with new acting talent that included Sean Penn and Tilda Swinton).

The documentary follows Aaron's search for and restoration of Howard Brookner's archives including Burroughs and Robert Wilson and the Civil Wars.

Simultaneously the film tells Howard Brookner's story from his early filmmaking career at NYU, through his three completed features and up until his death in 1989.