‘Once Upon a Time in Harlem’ Opens October 16, Bringing William Greaves’ Harlem Renaissance Time Capsule to Theaters
A decade after his death, groundbreaking filmmaker William Greaves has one final cinematic surprise: a remarkable film built around what he considered one of the most important events he ever captured.
In 1972, Greaves gathered a group of living Harlem Renaissance artists, writers, and intellectuals for a party unlike any other. Many had not seen one another in nearly 50 years. Over four hours, they reminisced, argued, laughed, drank, and debated their place in a changing cultural landscape.
Shot on 16mm film, newly restored and now directed by Greaves’ son David Greaves, the 100-minute documentary becomes both a celebration of the Harlem Renaissance and an exploration of how African American culture, art and intellectual history are passed from one generation to the next.
Greaves was interested in more than documenting famous names. He wanted to understand the creative force that made the Harlem Renaissance possible — and the responsibility artists carry in keeping culture alive.
The extraordinary gathering includes Eubie Blake, Romare Bearden, Arna Bontemps, Aaron Douglas, John Henrik Clarke, Richard Bruce Nugent, James Van Der Zee, George Schuyler, Noble Sissle, and many more cultural figures whose work helped define African American art and thought in the 20th century.
Featuring: Regina Andrews, Eubie Blake, Romare Bearden, Arna Bontemps, Ernest Chrichlow, John Henrik Clarke, Ida Mae Cullen, Aaron Douglas, Thomas Harvey, Abram Hill, Frank Horne, Nathan Huggins, Jean Blackwell Hutson, Gerri Major, Richard B. Moore, Richard Bruce Nugent, Louise Patterson, Mrs. J.B. Matthews, William Patterson, Ruth Hill, Irvin C. Miller, Theodore “Ted” Poston, George Schuyler, Noble Sissle, James Van Der Zee and Leigh Whipper.
100 minutes | English | USA | 2026
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