Once Upon a Time in Harlem (2026)

Directed by

William Greaves, David Greaves

Genre

documentary film

Country

United States

Runtime

1h 40m

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

A documentary capturing a reunion of the last living members of the Harlem Renaissance. The footage was shot in 1972 and left unfinished for fifty years before being completed.

nostalgicreflectivecelebratoryarchivalintimatecontemplativewarm

What happens

Once Upon a Time in Harlem is a 2026 American documentary film directed by William Greaves and David Greaves, and produced by Liani Greaves and Anne de Mare. It follows a gathering of the surviving members of the Harlem Renaissance. Shot in 1972, it remained unfinished for fifty years, until David revisited the footage following his father's death. The film had its world premiere at the Premieres section of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival on January 25. It was also screened at the Directors' Fortnight section of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, where it was nominated for the L'Œil d'or. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

Trailer

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