Once Upon a Time in Harlem

Once Upon a Time in Harlem
Teaser poster
Directed byWilliam Greaves
David Greaves
Produced byLiani Greaves
Anne de Mare
CinematographyDavid Greaves[1]
Doug Harris[1]
David Hoffman[1]
Jerry Pantzer[1]
Edited byLynn True
Anne de Mare[1]
Music byTamar-kali
Distributed byNeon
Release dates
  • January 25, 2026 (2026-01-25) (Sundance)
  • October 16, 2026 (2026-10-16) (United States)
Running time
100 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

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.[2][3] 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.[2][3][1] 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.

Premise

William Greaves presents footage of a 1972 party he convened at Duke Ellington’s townhouse in Harlem with living luminaries of the Harlem Renaissance, an event he regarded as the most important he captured on film.[2][3] Greaves invited every surviving participant he could locate. Many had not seen one another for decades. They included the painter Aaron Douglas; the artist and writer Richard Bruce Nugent; the poet Arna Bontemps; the musicians Eubie Blake and Noble Sissle; the photographer James Van Der Zee; and Ida Mae Cullen, the widow of Countee Cullen.[4]

David Greaves during the Directors' Fortnight at 2026 Cannes Film Festival

Release

Once Upon a Time in Harlem had its world premiere at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival on January 25.[2][5] In February 2026, Neon acquired U.S. distribution rights to the documentary.[6][7]

It was also selected to the Directors' Fortnight section of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, where had its international premiere on May 18, and was nominated for the L'Œil d'or.[8] It was also selected for the Wavelengths section of the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival,[9] and the Main Slate of the 2026 New York Film Festival.[10]

The film is scheduled to be released in the United States on October 16, 2026.[11]

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 100% of 29 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.9/10.[12] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 94 out of 100, based on 10 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[13]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Once Upon A Time In Harlem". Sundance Film Festival. Retrieved December 28, 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "2026 Sundance Film Festival Unveils 97 Projects Selected for the Feature Film and Episodic Program". Sundance Institute. December 10, 2025. Retrieved December 28, 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 Frank, Jason P. (December 10, 2025). "The Sundance Film Festival 2026 Lineup". Vulture. Retrieved December 28, 2025.
  4. ↑ Harlem Renaissance documentary finally gets global premiere 50 years after cameras rolled|Cannes film festival|The Guardian
  5. ↑ "What to Know About the 2026 Sundance Film Festival". Sundance Institute. July 14, 2025. Retrieved December 28, 2025.
  6. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (February 5, 2026). "Neon Acquires U.S. On Documentary 'Once Upon A Time In Harlem' Following Sundance Premiere". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  7. ↑ Lang, Brent (February 5, 2026). "Neon Buys Sundance Documentary 'Once Upon a Time in Harlem' Following Heated Bidding War". Variety. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  8. ↑ Goodfellow, Melanie (April 14, 2026). "Cannes Directors' Fortnight Unveils Starry 2026 Lineup". Deadline. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
  9. ↑ Erbland, Kate (August 4, 2026). "TIFF Adds More Than 60 New Titles, Including Festival Winners 'La Gradiva' and 'Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!'". IndieWire. Retrieved August 29, 2026.
  10. ↑ Davis, Clayton (August 5, 2026). "New York Film Festival 2026 Lineup Unveiled: Chris Rock's 'Misty Green,' Andrew Haigh's 'A Long Winter' and More". Variety. Retrieved August 29, 2026.
  11. ↑ Ntim, Zac (June 9, 2026). "'Once Upon A Time In Harlem' Teaser: William Greaves' Opus". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  12. ↑ "Once Upon a Time in Harlem". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved August 20, 2026.
  13. ↑ "Once Upon a Time in Harlem". Metacritic. Retrieved February 13, 2026.
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