2026 (USA) 100 minutes
Directed by: William Greaves and David Greaves
It is a film we thought we’d never get to see: a documentary culled from footage shot by director William Greaves in August 1972 of the surviving members of the Harlem Renaissance, all gathered together at Duke Ellington’s New York apartment to reminisce about and debate their movement’s legacy. At long last, Greaves’ son David completes his late father’s passion project, 50-year-old footage becoming 2026’s signature cinematic event. Once Upon a Time in Harlem is a tapestry of intimate, electric conversation between actors, writers, and others who helped shape the creative flowering of Black artists in the 1920s and ‘30s. But what’s remarkable—and also sobering—is how much of their exchanges touch on the racism and economic inequality still plaguing America in the 21st century. Much like the Oscar®-winning Summer of Soul, this nearly forgotten hangout brings history alive and emerges as a vital cultural landmark. It’s a party like no other—one full of brilliant personalities and bracing ideas.
2026 Cannes Film Festival – Nominated Golden Eye
2026 Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards – Nominated Best Documentary Feature
2026 BFI London Film Festival – Nominated Best Documentary Film
Northstar Village Cinemas – December 6 – 5:30pm