When We Were Kings

Whilst boxing is a sport that divides opinion, when Muhammad Ali was at the top of the world, it was never more popular. Leon Gast’s now-classic film on the “Rumble in the Jungle” –Muhammad Ali’s triumphant 1974 Kinshasa fight against heavyweight champion George Foreman– is more than a sports documentary. After being suspended from boxing for more than 3 years for refusing to be drafted into the US Army, Ali was considered quite the underdog to the younger 1968 Olympic gold medallist Foreman who at that point had a 40-0 win/loss professional record. “When we Were Kings” is a reflection on the responsibilities and demands of fame, a snapshot of a moment when black Americans were starting, partly thanks to Ali’s example, to embrace their African heritage en masse. A hymn to black empowerment, featuring commentary by Spike Lee and Norman Mailer. Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee!