Retrospective: William Greaves

William Greaves might not be a household name but the recent release of his essential posthumous film Once Upon a Time in Harlem is bringing a new wave of attention to one of the 20th century’s most innovative and influential documentarians. Greaves was born in Harlem as the cultural renaissance of the 1920s turned into the Great Depression of the 1930s. He led a fascinating life, studying acting under Elia Kazan and Lee Strasberg before discovering his calling making “consciousness raising” documentaries that, in his words, “tell the true stories of people of color.” With much of his career spent in television production, this retrospective offers an invaluable opportunity to discover the range of his work.  

IMAGE CAPTION
Clockwise from top left: Nationtime, courtesy of Kino Lorber. Emergency Ward, courtesy of the National Film Board of Canada. Wealth of a Nation, Symbiopsychotaxiplasm, Still a Brother, The First World Festival of Negro Arts, courtesy of Janus Films.