Films

Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film

What if you could be a fly on the wall at the 1972 gathering of some of the most influential artists of the 20th century? Thanks to the late, great documentary filmmaker William Greaves, and his son, David, you can.

Once Upon a Time in Harlem chronicles a legendary cocktail party hosted in Duke Ellington’s townhouse, capturing the voices and memories of the surviving luminaries of the Harlem Renaissance. David Greaves took over the project following his father’s death, gifting the world a never-before-seen window into one of the most important artistic gatherings in history.

Discussion with Claudrena Harold (UVA).

“One of the greatest cinematic works of creative nonfiction that I’ve ever seen.”
-Richard Brody, The New Yorker

“An intellectual fairytale whose occurrence remains incredible and whose existence feels like a miracle.”
-Robert Daniels, RogerEbert.com