Dikembe Mutomboโs story is a compelling tale of faith, resilience, and humanitarian impact. His basketball career alone would make for an inspiring story – this documentary will journey into his early life, growing up in the Congo, thinking himself cursed to be so tall, only to leave his country on a USAID academic scholarship to study medicine at Georgetown University, to then become one of the NBAโs greatest defensive centers, an eight time All Star, and a Hall of Famer. This, however, pales in comparison to the celebrity and importance that Dikembe Mutombo has in his native Democratic Republic of Congo, where he has become a major influential force in public health and education.
Director Dina Khreino met Dikembe through his philanthropy, where she learned he had created a foundation to be a vehicle for improving his country, but his focus would be dedicated to building a hospital in his motherโs honor. Moved by his compassion and empathy for those around him, she embarked on a journey to share his story and portray the conviction in his giant heart which changed the world.
โHeโs one of those once-in-a-lifetime people you feel blessed to have in your life.โ
This documentary is a personal account, told in his own words and through those closest to him, that sheds light on a remarkable man who endured and excelled for two decades in a sport which values young players, but enabled him to play for eighteen years. He stands today on a world stage as a humanitarian, the NBAโs global ambassador, and an inspiration to many who strive to have his compassion, discipline, and tenacity.
It chronicles his life in a way that shows his strength of will and capacity for growth, hallmarks that have led to him become the man he is today. The layers to the film provide the audience with lessons of overcoming challenges, the ability to use naysayers as motivators, and an understanding that faith, hope, and charity ultimately make our world a better place to coexist, and more importantly, thrive.
What could compel us to abandon our most basic instinct for self-preservation?
Itโs not about adrenaline or thrill-seeking. There is something far deeper that drives the worldโs most elite group of mountain adventurers to take life-threatening risks.
In the face of shifting winds, sheer granite cliffs, and impossible odds, they climb. Each for their own reason, but every one connected by the vertical world. In this rarefied air, these athletes are fundamentally changed, not just as climbers, but as human beings.
For nearly three years, director Dina Khreino interviewed these world-class athletes, listening to what compels them to leave behind families, friends, and everyday comforts to risk everything for a fleeting glimpse into the unknown. What she found was a tribe, a diverse group of professional adventurers and amateur philosophers, forged by the ultimate test of body, mind, and spirit. At times brutally honest, other times pensive, these athletesโ stories reveal the triumph of the human spirit and the profound and unique connection formed as they overcome the worldโs fiercest physical and mental obstacles.
20 ATHLETES
The first time twenty of the worldsโ most celebrated climbers and mountaineers are featured in one documentary. An introspective approach, appealing to all audiences, not just fans of the sport.
9 COUNTRIES
Filming for the project took place in sixteen locations, spanning nine countries on three continents. These countries are: United Kingdom, U.S., Spain, Norway, Nepal, Italy, Hong Kong, France, and Austria.
3 YEARS
Filming Fine Lines took nearly three years, as director Dina Khreino traveled the world to capture the unique stories of the athletes.