In 1974, boxers Muhammad Ali and George Foreman came to the still-emerging and politically unstable African nation of Zaire for what Ali called the 'Rumble in the Jungle', a highly publicised world heavyweight championship fight. Documentarian Leon Gast flew to Zaire to film both the fight and a music festival organised by promoter Don King. Gast's footage was shelved for 22 years due to legal and financial problems, but when it was finally released in 1996, When We Were Kings provided a vivid portrait of the controversial Ali.