New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s office collaborated with Neon to offer free screenings of the documentary Once Upon a Time in Harlem. The documentary celebrating the Harlem Renaissance is free across NYC in October.
Zohran Mamdani is backing free screenings of a documentary celebrating the Harlem Renaissance
Zohran Mamdani office is helping bring Once Upon a Time in Harlem across New York. In a statement for the film, Mamdani said, “Once Upon a Time in Harlem brings the personalities, ideas, and debates behind the Harlem Renaissance to life for a new generation of New Yorkers.” Mamdani added that screenings would give New Yorkers an opportunity to experience the film.
He said, “We are proud to partner with the filmmaking team to offer free screenings to New Yorkers. This weekend, ensuring that as many New Yorkers as possible get the chance to experience this film.”
The documentary screened at Sundance, Cannes, Telluride, Toronto, and New York Film Festivals. It’s also nominated for five Critics Choice Documentary Awards, including Best Documentary.
Mamdani also highlighted the lasting influence of the Harlem Renaissance. He said, “Our city owes a debt of gratitude to the artists of the Harlem Renaissance whose enduring legacy is still felt in every jazz club, in every gallery. And in the movement for social justice that still continues to this day.” (Via Deadline)
The New Yorkers can watch a free screening on Saturday and Sunday at AMC Magic Johnson Harlem at 1:00 pm. Also, at Film Forum on Saturday at 4:45 pm, and Howard Gilman Theater on Sunday at 3:45 pm. (via Eventbrite)
The film won the 2026 Library of Congress Lavine Prize and the Maysles Film Center Albie Award. It was filmed by the late William Greaves in 1972. However, it was completed in 1974, using only archival material. Greaves spent much of the rest of his life wrestling with how to finish the film. He died in 2014, with the film incomplete. His widow, Louise Greaves, continued working on the project until she died in 2023, at which point his son, David Greaves, and David’s daughter, Liani Greaves, tended to the unfinished business.
Mamdani’s initiative aims to make the documentary’s historical insights more accessible to the residents, allowing them to connect with cultural moments.
