Free 'Once Upon a Time in Harlem' screenings today at AMC Magic Johnson Harlem and Film at Lincoln Center
City Hall and distributor NEON are showing the Harlem Renaissance documentary for free at 1 p.m. and 3:45 p.m. Seats go first come, first served, even with an RSVP.
Photo: Ajay Suresh / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0
- Mayor Zohran Mamdani's office and NEON are offering four free screenings of the documentary 'Once Upon a Time in Harlem' on Oct. 24 and 25; two are on Sunday.
- Sunday's shows are at 1 p.m. at AMC Magic Johnson Harlem, 2309 Frederick Douglass Blvd., and 3:45 p.m. at Film at Lincoln Center's Howard Gilman Theater, 144 W. 65th St., Time Out New York reported.
- An advance RSVP is required but does not guarantee a seat; organizers say shows are overbooked and seats go first come, first served. Arrive at least 30 minutes early, and no seat-saving.
- The film is built on footage William Greaves shot in 1972 at Duke Ellington's townhouse, where surviving Harlem Renaissance artists and writers gathered.
- Greaves died in 2014; his son David Greaves directed the finished film, and his granddaughter Liani Greaves produced it.
New Yorkers have two more chances on Sunday to see the documentary Once Upon a Time in Harlem for free. Mayor Zohran Mamdani's office and the film's distributor, NEON, set up four free screenings across Manhattan this weekend, Deadline and NBC New York reported.
Sunday's showtimes
- 1 p.m.: AMC Magic Johnson Harlem, 2309 Frederick Douglass Blvd.
- 3:45 p.m.: Film at Lincoln Center's Howard Gilman Theater, 144 W. 65th St.
Saturday's screenings were at the same Harlem theater and at Film Forum, according to Time Out New York.
How to get in
You need to RSVP through the screening sign-up form in advance, but a reservation does not guarantee admission. Organizers say the screenings are overbooked, so seats go first come, first served to people on the RSVP list, Time Out reported. Bring your email confirmation and arrive at least 30 minutes early. Organizers warn that lines could start forming hours ahead, and saving seats is not allowed.
About the film
In 1972, filmmaker William Greaves gathered surviving artists, writers and cultural figures of the Harlem Renaissance at Duke Ellington's townhouse and filmed them on 16mm as they debated and remembered the movement. The guests included painters Aaron Douglas and Romare Bearden, writer Arna Bontemps, photographer James Van Der Zee and Ida Mae Cullen, the widow of poet Countee Cullen, NBC New York and Time Out reported.
Greaves died in 2014 without finishing the film. His son, David Greaves, took up the footage and directed the documentary, with his daughter, Liani Greaves, producing. It has since screened at festivals including Sundance and the New York Film Festival.
In a statement, Mamdani said the film brings the Harlem Renaissance "to life for a new generation of New Yorkers."
- Time Out New YorkFree 'Once Upon a Time in Harlem' screenings will take over NYC this weekend, courtesy of Mayor Mamdani
- NBC New York'Once Upon a Time in Harlem' free screenings this weekend in NYC
- DeadlineMayor Zohran Mamdani, Neon Set Free Screenings Of 'Once Upon A Time In Harlem'
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