Once Upon a Time in Harlem

Proudly presented by Neon

100 minutes

Starts November 13

ABOUT THE FILM

A decade after his death, genre-defying filmmaker William Greaves has one last trick up his
sleeve with what he considered the most important event he captured on film: a 1972 party he
engineered with the living luminaries of the Harlem Renaissance. For four hours, this
extraordinary group – many of whom had not seen each other in fifty years – reminisced,
critiqued, argued, laughed and drank while wrestling with their place in a rapidly shifting cultural
landscape. Shot on 16mm film, newly restored and now directed by Greaves’ son David, this
landmark film is at once a self-exploration and an inquiry into the heart of the critical mass of
energy called the Harlem Renaissance. William Greaves’ intent was not only to document these
artists and intellectuals as they spoke about their lives and work but also to plumb the meaning
of the extraordinary creative period in which they lived to help us better understand how culture
has been passed on from one generation to another and the role that the artist plays in keeping
it alive.

Relased 2026

Rated PG-13

Directed by David Greaves