Greaves' 'Once Upon a Time in Harlem' Lands Five Critics Choice Nods — SkimNews
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- "Once Upon a Time in Harlem" earned five Critics Choice Documentary Awards nominations Tuesday, capping a festival run that included premieres at Sundance, Cannes, Telluride, Toronto and New York — the only documentary to clear all five this year.
- The Greaves documentary opens theatrically in New York this Friday and in Los Angeles on October 23, built from almost 30 hours of raw footage shot by William Greaves at a one-afternoon 1972 reunion of surviving Harlem Renaissance figures.
- Director David Greaves, who was one of the original cameramen on the 1972 shoot, and producer Liani Greaves (his daughter, William's granddaughter) discuss shaping William's vision for the film as "a theatrical experience that moves at a snappy pace."
- Liani Greaves reveals that George Schuyler's presence at the gathering triggered strong emotions among attendees due to his contrarian politics, and shares one unflattering remark aimed at Schuyler that did not make the final cut.
- The Greaves explore interpersonal frictions at the reunion, including women struggling to make their voices heard, and argue that women's integral contributions to the movement are often overlooked.
- John Ridley, co-host of Deadline's Doc Talk podcast, explains his personal identification with comments made in the film by Richard Bruce Nugent, one of the Harlem Renaissance figures featured.
Why it matters: The five Critics Choice nominations, on top of an unprecedented Sundance-Cannes-Telluride-Toronto-NY festival sweep, position "Once Upon a Time in Harlem" as a leading documentary contender heading into Oscar season, with its theatrical rollout beginning this Friday in New York — giving awards voters a rare chance to see it on the big screen rather than via screeners.
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