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. The film was completed by William Greaves' son David over a decade after William's death in 2014. It had its world premiere in the Premieres section at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.
William Greaves presents footage of a 1972 party he convened with living luminaries of the Harlem Renaissance, an event he regarded as the most important he captured on film.
Once Upon a Time in Harlem had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 25, 2026. In February 2026, Neon acquired U.S. distribution rights to the documentary, beating out companies including Netflix, Sony Pictures Classics, Mubi, and the Criterion Collection.