When We Were Kings
Part of the BAMcinématek series Afro-Punk Festival
Tue, Jul 7 at 4:30pm
Directed by Leon Gast
(1996) 89min
"No comedian was ever funnier, no fighter ever faster than Muhammad Ali, who is caught at the top of his game in Leon Gast's valentine, When We Were Kings." —Washington Post
This essential, Oscar-winning documentary is a frank exposé of the historic “Rumble in the Jungle” boxing match between George Foreman and Muhammed Ali. One of Don King’s first promotion gigs, this legendary fight ended up happening in Zaire, sponsored by President Mobutu. Features interviews with Spike Lee, Norman Mailer, and more.
San Francisco Chronicle on When We Were Kings
"By portraying the young Ali as hero—and moving beyond the media image of the poetry-spouting peacock—Gast reminds us that Ali didn't follow the path of earlier black superstars or earn his stripes by conforming to white society's expectations." More
Washington Post on When We Were Kings
"For those who want to relive Ali’s glory days, and for those who think Ali was nothing but a prizefighter, this movie, which took the struggling Gast 20 years to get financed, is required viewing." More