CANNES – David Greaves was just 26 when his father, the legendary filmmaker William Greaves, invited him to help document a significant event in Harlem. In August 1972, William gathered a remarkable group of artists, writers, poets, musicians, and organizers who had shaped the Harlem Renaissance. This gathering took place at Duke Ellington’s townhouse, where attendees reflected on the influential cultural movement of the 1920s. They reminisced about their past, shared memories, and discussed the impact of their contributions. “My father would say, ‘Capture the life that’s happening,’” David Greaves recalls.
Fast forward over half a century, and the result of that gathering, titled “Once Upon a Time in Harlem,” finally premiered at the Cannes Film Festival this week. This film has a remarkable and lengthy journey, having taken 54 years to reach this prestigious stage. William Greaves passed away in 2014, never having completed what he envisioned as his most significant work. Ultimately, it was David who stepped in as director to bring this dream to fruition for their family.
“It’s not the film he was thinking of in his mind,” David Greaves explained during an interview at Cannes. “But it’s definitely the film he would have wanted.” The screening of “Once Upon a Time in Harlem” at Cannes feels particularly meaningful. William Greaves’ earlier work, “Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take One,” was rejected by the festival in 1968 but has since gained acclaim and was added to the National Film Registry in 2015.
David Greaves struggled to encapsulate the emotions he felt at Cannes, where his father’s work finally received global recognition. “It feels magical,” he said, his eyes brimming with tears. “Even surreal.” Following its premiere earlier this year, “Once Upon a Time in Harlem” has gained significant attention, with Neon acquiring it and planning a robust awards campaign. It is set to feature at major fall festivals, with critics like Richard Brody of The New Yorker calling it “a film for the ages.”
The gathering in Harlem included prominent figures from the Harlem Renaissance, such as poet and novelist Arna Bontemps, artist Romare Bearden, and musician Eubie Blake, among others. They shared stories, laughter, and debates about their contributions to Black history. In the 1970s, the significance of their achievements wasn’t fully recognized, but now, as the film arrives, it resonates during a time when African American history faces challenges in America.
For David Greaves, the Harlem Renaissance represents “the wellspring” of Black culture. “People say: How can there be a renaissance? People without history arriving here?” he explains. He initially wanted to open the film with a historical context that traces back to Africa, but the focus shifted to celebrating the artists’ gathering. The documentary starts with Langston Hughes’ poignant poem, “The Negro Speaks of Rivers,” which encapsulates the essence of the movement.
William Greaves originally intended to use the footage from 1972 for a different project, the 1974 film “From These Roots.” However, he chose to incorporate archival photographs instead. Over the years, he revisited the Harlem footage but never completed the film. After his passing, his widow, Louise Archambault Greaves, took on the project until her own death in 2023, ensuring funding for its restoration. “Louise was a lock protecting the footage,” David shares with a laugh. “She told the Smithsonian, who asked for a copy, ‘No!’”
Although David grew up assisting his father on films, he initially pursued a different path, co-founding the progressive Brooklyn newspaper Our Time Press. It was only years later that he stepped into the role of director. “Louis was talking about directors. ‘Who could we get?’ I just sat there and said, ‘I don’t know,’” David recalls. When the time came to edit the film, an adviser prompted him, “Who’s going to direct this? Are you going to direct it?” He responded, “Yes.” He felt no one else could do justice to the film.
David Greaves has scant memories of filming in 1972; he appears briefly in reflections in the footage. “Once Upon a Time in Harlem” serves as a luminous artifact of both the past and the present. “Usually after seeing a movie, people say ‘Congratulations,’” David notes. “Here they say, ‘Thank you.’” Overwhelmed with emotion, he wipes his tears away, lifts his head, and offers a grateful smile.
