Watching David Greaves’ Once Upon a Time in Harlem I felt overwhelmed, in the best sense, by such an extraordinary gathering of so many great, groundbreaking Black figures, pondering the meaning of the consequential creative period known as the Harlem Renaissance—usually thought to begin around 1910 and ending in the ‘30s. These titanic figures reflect on what it meant and means to be a Black artist…to be an artist.
The footage was originally shot in 16mm by filmmaker William Greaves in Duke Ellington’s baroque NYC townhouse on August 6, 1972, and has been newly restored and now completed by Greaves’ son, David, who was one of the four cameramen at the event when he was 26. The four-hours of footage has been whittled down to a solid 100 minutes — although I longed to see more—perhaps a fuller version on 4K and VOD?
The luminaries in attendance included composer Eubie Blake and his lyricist partner, Noble Sissle, political activist Marcus Garvey, photographer James Van Der Zee, queer painter Richard Bruce Nugent, artist Aaron Douglas, actor Leigh Whipper and, most vociferous, Ida Cullen Cooper the widow of poet Countee Cullen, who fiercely argues for her husband’s prominent place in the culture. She also nicely summarized the occasion: “What Bill Greaves is doing today is one of the most tremendous things that has ever done for us, as Black people. You’re bringing the history, the historical background, and we’re bringing so many, many things back up again.”
The occasion was also a time to wonder whether the youth of the day have any sense of history and of the pioneering figures that came before them. And that same question is so valid today when it comes to all the brave trailblazers that came before, paving the way for life to be better for the next generation. Cooper continued, “These young people who write — they don’t even know what they’re writing about. They don’t even know what they’re saying.”
Prominent and outspoken socialist Richard B Moore had a very important message for journalists, “The critics of today ought to learn the first lesson of a critic, which is appreciation.” That sentiment could and should be the mantra for all critics, everywhere, during any time period.
This is the kind of rich and rewarding work that makes you want to own a copy so you can rewatch it over and over again and pause to look up each person speaking and the celebrated artists they discuss, like Langston Hughes, so you can soak up more knowledge.
After cocktail party ended, some guests returned the following day wearing the same clothes for some one-on-one chats. Greaves senior spent the next four decades-plus returning to the project, but he never completed it—leaving that task to his son David, who now brings it to full, brimming life.
Once Upon a Time in Harlem had its world premiere as part of the Director’s Fortnight at this year’s Cannes Film Festival and was part of this year’s New York Film Festival Main Slate.
It is eligible for the Best Documentary Feature Oscar.
It deserves to be the front-runner.
The film is being in theaters released, by NEON, October 16, 2026.
