Leon Gast is an American documentary film director, producer, cinematographer, and editor. His documentary When We Were Kings depicting the iconic heavyweight boxing match termed The Rumble in the Jungle between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman won the 1996 Academy Award for Documentary Feature and the Independent Spirit Award. Gast co-directed the 1977 documentary The Grateful Dead Movie with guitarist Jerry Garcia. The film captured the band's October 1974 five-night performance at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. Gast also co-directed the 1983 film Hell's Angels Forever.A native of Jersey City, New Jersey, Gast studied dramatic arts at Columbia University, and in that same period worked the television series High Adventure with writer and broadcaster Lowell Thomas. Gast is also known for his still photography which has appeared in such magazines as Vogue, Esquire, and Harper's Bazaar.Gast's most recently completed project is a documentary entitled Smash His Camera, a film about paparazzi photographer Ron Galella. The film won "Best Director" of a documentary at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.For his next project, Gast is working on his second documentary on a boxing legend. It will focus on the current number one pound-for-pound best boxer in the world, Manny Pacquiao, detailing his rise from poverty to the very top of the boxing world and now congressman in the Philippines.In 2012, Gast was honored with a lifetime achievement award at the inaugural Golden Door Film Festival.
I believe, in the truest sense of the word, that Muhammad Ali is a hero. His presence explodes off the screen. He is a hero in comparison with the so-called icons of today. All athletes today are looking for is a good endorsement deal. There are so few real heroes. Is there anyone that you can really look up to?
Director
Title
Year
Status
Character
Sporting Dreams
2015
Documentary
Manny
2014/I
Documentary
Smash His Camera
2010
Documentary
Jumpshot
2004
Video documentary
1 Love
2003
When We Were Kings
1996
Documentary
Celia Cruz: Guantanamera
1989
Video documentary
Hells Angels Forever
1983
Documentary
The Grateful Dead
1977
Documentary
Salsa
1976
Documentary
B.B. King: Live in Africa
1974
Documentary
Our Latin Thing
1972
Documentary
Producer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Independent Lens
2014
TV Series documentary executive producer - 1 episode
The Trials of Muhammad Ali
2013
Documentary executive producer
Soul Power
2008
Documentary producer
1 Love
2003
producer
When We Were Kings
1996
Documentary producer
Fallen Champ: The Untold Story of Mike Tyson
1993
TV Movie documentary field producer
Celia Cruz: Guantanamera
1989
Video documentary producer
Hells Angels Forever
1983
Documentary producer
Salsa
1976
Documentary producer
Editor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Muhammad Ali: The Whole Story
1996
TV Movie documentary
When We Were Kings
1996
Documentary
Fallen Champ: The Untold Story of Mike Tyson
1993
TV Movie documentary
B.B. King: Live in Africa
1974
Documentary
Camera Department
Title
Year
Status
Character
Hells Angels Forever
1983
Documentary additional cinematographer
Our Latin Thing
1972
Documentary camera operator
Writer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Sporting Dreams
2015
Documentary story
Miscellaneous
Title
Year
Status
Character
Fallen Champ: The Untold Story of Mike Tyson
1993
TV Movie documentary consultant
Thanks
Title
Year
Status
Character
Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson
2008
Documentary thanks
Harlan County U.S.A.
1976
Documentary thanks
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Ali vs. Stevenson: The Greatest Fight That Never Was
2014
Short
Himself
Boxing at the Movies: Kings of the Ring
2013
Documentary
Himself - Director, When We Were Kings
The Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame...
2006
TV Series
Himself
The 50 Greatest Documentaries
2005
TV Movie documentary
Himself
ESPN SportsCentury
2004
TV Series documentary
Himself
The 69th Annual Academy Awards
1997
TV Special
Himself - Winner: Best Documentary Feature
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
1997
TV Series
Himself
Charlie Rose
1997
TV Series
Himself - Guest
Won Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
2015
Cinema Eye Honors Award
Cinema Eye Honors Awards, US
The Influentials
When We Were Kings (1996)
2014
Cinema Eye Honors Award
Cinema Eye Honors Awards, US
The Influentials
When We Were Kings (1996)
2013
Video Source Award
International Documentary Association
The Trials of Muhammad Ali (2013)
2010
Directing Award
Sundance Film Festival
Documentary
Smash His Camera (2010)
1997
Oscar
Academy Awards, USA
Best Documentary, Features
When We Were Kings (1996)
1997
Truer Than Fiction Award
Independent Spirit Awards
When We Were Kings (1996)
1996
LAFCA Award
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards
Best Documentary/Non-Fiction Film
When We Were Kings (1996)
1996
Special Jury Recognition
Sundance Film Festival
When We Were Kings (1996)
Nominated Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
2014
Audience Award
SXSW Film Festival
Documentary Spotlight
Manny (2014)
2011
Emmy
News & Documentary Emmy Awards
Outstanding Arts & Culture Programming
Smash His Camera (2010)
2010
Grand Jury Prize
Sundance Film Festival
Documentary
Smash His Camera (2010)
1997
DGA Award
Directors Guild of America, USA
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary