Celebrate the centenary of pioneering African American filmmaker William Greaves with two films exploring Black history, freedom of speech, racial justice and the Harlem Renaissance.
The programme brings together Wealth of a Nation and From These Roots, two films that reflect Greaves’ belief in cinema’s power to intervene in the world and change public consciousness.
Wealth of a Nation
1964, USA, directed by William Greaves
Running time: 21 minutes
Filmed in 1964, Wealth of a Nation explores freedom of speech, the importance of liberty in all its forms and its essential place within a functioning democracy.
From These Roots
1974, USA, directed by William Greaves
Running time: 28 minutes
From These Roots traces the history and cultural legacy of the Harlem Renaissance through photographs from the period. Footage recorded during its production later helped shape the 2026 documentary Once Upon a Time in Harlem.
Following the screenings, filmmaker and journalist David Greaves and producer Liani Greaves, members of William Greaves’ family and collaborators in his filmmaking legacy, will join filmmaker, theorist and artist Kodwo Eshun for a special conversation.
Together, they will discuss William Greaves’ wide-ranging career, his commitment to racial justice and his lasting contribution to Black cinema.
The event offers a rare opportunity to experience Greaves’ work on the big screen while reflecting on film’s role in preserving Black history, confronting racial inequality and shaping how society understands itself.
About the speakers
David Greaves is an award-winning filmmaker and journalist. He worked as an assistant editor on Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take One and contributed as an editor and camera operator to several other William Greaves films.
Liani Greaves is an independent producer, strategy consultant and Vice-President of William Greaves Productions. She worked alongside her grandfather William Greaves and actor Steve Buscemi on Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take 2.
Kodwo Eshun is a London-based filmmaker, theorist and artist. He teaches at Goldsmiths, University of London, and HEAD–Genève, and co-founded The Otolith Group with Anjalika Sagar.
Event enquiries:
matthew.barrington@barbican.org.uk
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