A Time There Was: Stories from the Last Days of Kenya Colony is a documentary film by Donald McWilliams about the Mau Mau Rebellion in 1950s Kenya – one of the most contentious final episodes in British colonial history. Evoking his mentor Norman McLaren, McWilliams employs a broad palette of cinematic devices, framing personal photos with animation and archival imagery.
A master of the poetic film essay, Donald McWilliams follows in the creative tracks of his mentor, the late great Norman McLaren, inventively drawing upon a rich palette of cinema techniques to explore the endless possibilities of moving pictures. With A Time There Was, his personal reflection on Kenya’s Mau Mau rebellion, he completes a remarkable autobiographical trilogy that includes The Fifth Province and The Passerby crowned Best Cultural Documentary at Hot Docs. He was nominated for an Oscar® as the producer and editor of Sunrise over Tiananmen Square. Other credits include the acclaimed Creative Process: Norman McLaren.
Donald McWilliams' documentary portrays the Mau Mau Rebellion in 1950s Kenya - one of the most contentious final episodes in British colonial history. Evoking his mentor, Norman McLaren, McWilliams employs a broad palette of cinematic devices, framing personal photos with animation and archival imagery.
In this clip, Donald McWilliams is conscripted into the British Army as a young man.
Donald McWilliams' documentary portrays the Mau Mau Rebellion in 1950s Kenya - one of the most contentious final episodes in British colonial history. Evoking his mentor, Norman McLaren, McWilliams employs a broad palette of cinematic devices, framing personal photos with animation and archival imagery.
In this clip, Mwaria Njuma became Major Ruku, a Mau Mau Freedom Fighter.
Donald McWilliams' documentary portrays the Mau Mau Rebellion in 1950s Kenya - one of the most contentious final episodes in British colonial history. Evoking his mentor, Norman McLaren, McWilliams employs a broad palette of cinematic devices, framing personal photos with animation and archival imagery.
In this clip, we meet Achrroo Kapila, who was one of the lawyers who defended Kenyan nationalists including Jomo Kenyatta.
Donald McWilliams' documentary portrays the Mau Mau Rebellion in 1950s Kenya - one of the most contentious final episodes in British colonial history. Evoking his mentor, Norman McLaren, McWilliams employs a broad palette of cinematic devices, framing personal photos with animation and archival imagery.
In this clip, we see John Nottingham, who was a District Officer for the British Colonial Government in Kenya.
A Time There Was: Stories from the Last Days of Kenya Colony is a documentary film by Donald McWilliams about the Mau Mau Rebellion in 1950s Kenya
National Film Board of Canada Production © 2009 All rights reserved.
