Once Upon A Time in Harlem

One night at Duke Ellington’s apartment in 1972, the living icons of the Harlem Renaissance had a four-hour party that was shot documentary-style by pioneering filmmaker William Greaves, who considered this footage the most important of his career, but he wasn’t able to fully realize his vision in his lifetime. With help from his cinematographer son, David Greaves, also a cameraman that night, and David’s filmmaker daughter, Liani Greaves, this documentary of three generations becomes a cultural legacy. (dir. William Greaves & David Greaves, U.S., 2026, 100 min.)

“The stuff of legend.” —RogerEbert.com