Once Upon a Time in Harlem Official Trailer

Once Upon a Time in Harlem is a documentary assembled from newly restored 16mm footage of a 1972 gathering of Harlem Renaissance figures at Duke Ellington’s townhouse. Conceived and filmed by William

In the summer of 1972, William Greaves invited artists and intellectuals who had led the Harlem Renaissance to Duke Ellington's Harlem home and turned on his camera. The film begins with those gathered that day remembering their work and their era. Reunited after many years, the attendees talk, criticize one another's views, laugh, and drink.

The 16mm footage Greaves left behind has been newly restored, and at the center of the film is cinéma vérité footage from the gathering. The painters Aaron Douglas and Romare Bearden, composers Eubie Blake and Noble Sissle, poet Arna Bontemps, and photographer James VanDerZee appear on screen. Their conversations are a record that conveys the memory of the Harlem Renaissance directly through the voices of the people who lived through it.

David Greaves, William's son, who originally participated in the filming, directed the project and completed the unfinished work. Produced by William Greaves Productions, this documentary will be released theatrically on October 16, 2026, distributed by NEON. Its running time is 100 minutes.