The Twilight of the Wizards / Zmierzch czarowników (1965) dir. Tadeusz Jaworski

A trip with a camera to East Africa. The aim is to discover its history, culture, religion and modern achievements. Professor Louis Leakey tells about the discoveries of the great civilization in this region. The camera records the life of the Maasai, the work of shepherds and women in the fields, and the fauna and flora of the savannah. Nature reserves protect endangered species. Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, is a really modern city. Jomo Kenyatta, the President of Kenya, speaks at a political rally and he proclaims African socialism. Industry and the Nile power plant are being developed in Uganda. Buddhist, Islamic, Protestant and Roman Catholic churches coexist there. Wanda Blonska, a Polish doctor, provides medical care in the lepers’ village. She emphasizes the importance of education for health. East African education also includes learning to read and write for people from rural areas. ‘Uhuru’ in Swahili means independence. Tadeusz Jaworski, a screenwriter and film director, was associated with the Documentary Film Studios in the 1960s. He made films about art and documentaries devoted to contemporary Africa, nature and decolonization. The author of the commentary in The Twilight of Wizards was Karol Malcuzynski, a journalist, member of parliament, author commentaries read in the Polish Film Chronicle and the Documentary Film Studios’ films. The film was made in cooperation with the Polish-African Friendship Society. After the events of March 1968, Tadeusz Jaworski emigrated to Canada, where he continued his career as a filmmaker. In 1972, he made the documentary entitled Selling Out, which was nominated for an Oscar in the short documentary category.