Leon Gast

Leon Jacques Gast (March 30, 1936 – March 8, 2021) was a prominent American documentary film director, producer, cinematographer, and editor. Recognized for his notable work 'When We Were Kings', which focused on the iconic heavyweight boxing match: The Rumble in the Jungle between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman. This film triumphed in winning the 1996 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature and the Independent Spirit Award. Gast also co-directed 'The Grateful Dead Movie' with the band's lead guitarist, Jerry Garcia, and famously captured the band's five-night performance at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. Another notable work by Gast was 'Hell's Angels Forever', which probed into the notorious motorcycle club Hells Angels. His prolific career also included works on B.B. King and Celia Cruz.

Born in Jersey City, New Jersey, Gast began his endeavors in the field of creative arts at Columbia University, pursuing dramatic arts and also working on the television series 'High Adventure'. He expressed his artistic talent through his still photography which was featured in renowned magazines like Vogue, Esquire, and Harper's Bazaar. Gast contributed his skills by creating album covers for Fania All-Stars which eventually led him to create 'Our Latin Thing'. He was not just limited to making documentaries, but also ventured into directing with films touching upon various real-life characters to life events. He was also recognized with the lifetime achievement award at the Golden Door International Film Festival in 2012.