Our new documentary film Rotting 2022 was filmed over the course of ten years. It was shot under the same conditions depicted in our previous film Eyes and Ears of God – Video Surveillance of Sudan (Maja Weiss & Tomo Križnar, 2022), in the besieged and bombarded mountains and savannahs along the border between Sudan and the newly formed Republic of South Sudan. On Christmas Day 2017, we also encountered leprosy. In Europe, this is considered a medieval disease, one that most believe has long been eradicated by modern antibiotics. But that belief is tragically mistaken…

The shorter version of the film (55 minutes) was produced by the Tomo Križnar Foundation in co-production with the Maja Weiss Institute, Taris Film, the Sagar Collective, and RTV Slovenia. RTV Slovenia is expected to broadcast it in early 2022.

Even after its initial screenings, the film has already prompted representatives of the World Health Organization, the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and actors within the war zone in Sudan to offer assistance to the indigenous population.

To date, thirty afflicted locals have been treated and cured at the Mother of Mercy Hospital in the Nuba Mountains.

Many of you have placed your trust in us and supported our efforts—physically, morally, emotionally, and spiritually—over the past ten years.

We extend our deepest appreciation to our volunteers for their hard work and dedication:
Vlada Batista, Janja in Jure Baznik, Nina Behek, Nataša Bernard, Matej Bernard, Suzana Bernetič, Julija Bešvir, Boris Boštar, Avgust Braatz, Marjan Cencen, Karmen Cunder, Gabi Čačinovič, Vid Červek, Andraž Čok Šarko, Marko in Aleksandar Džordževič, Miha Doles, Darja Erhatič, Brane Erjavec, Judita Eržen, Idris Fadul, Ana Fajmut, Gašperlin Franc, Lovro Gantar, Anita Garafolj, Matej Golob, Jožica Gramc, Melita Gramec, Alenka in Jure Hladnik, Maša Jazbec, Miran Mohor, Igor Jelovčan, Nada, Miha in Mišo Jensterle, Darja Jerman, Andrej in Babi Jošt, Jana Jureš, Elvira Juretič, Anja Kaughari, Marjan in Mira Kalan, Azad in Silva Karim, Simona Kavčič, Majda in Rudi Kern, Maja Kirar, Miha Klepec, Branka Kogoj, Franci Kokalj, Dušica Koporec, Marko Košnik, Rok Kovač, Brane Kovačič, Maja Križnar Grm, Jan Križnar, Francka Križnar, Milivoj in Lenčka Krpan, Žiga Kržišnik Mlakar, David Lah, Miha Lampreht, Joži Landa Bručan, Martina Lavrenčič, Marjana Lavrič, Gašper Lavrič, Matija Leonardi, Uroš Lesjak, Martina Leskovec, Borut Likar, Young Man in Vesna, Stane in Maruša Mali, Angelina Markovič, Miro Masten, Yona Meril Černe, Marjan Mihelič, Maja Mihelič, Eva in Gregor Miler, Drago Mislej Mef, Marko Močnik, Mateja Modrijan, Miran Mohar, Marko Murč, Vera Nagode, Simona Nagode, Beno Narobe, Janez Nebec, Aleš Ogrin, Pavle in Anka Oman, Nada Osovnikar, Karmen Osredkar, Vida Otič, Beata Ozmec, Mira in Katarina Papler, Peter Pavkovič, Janja Pavlič, Blaž Peršin, Špela Peterka, Lara Pivk Ogrin, Robi Pivk, Klavdija Pivk, Ljuba Pivk, Franjo Podnar, Darko Pokorn, Dragan Potočnik, Meta Purger, Vida in Alja Robič, Milan Rus, Iztok in Breda Sajko, Janja Simonišek, Sara Simšič, Agata Smrekar, Tanja Smrtnik, Ivka Sodnik, Marjan in Marta Sotlar, Maja Stare Mihelič, Fani Šega, Andrej Širca, Matej Škerl, Iztok Škofic, Ivko in Mojca Špendal, Vlado Špindler, Rok Štemberger, Andrej Švent, Maruša Tekavčič, sestra Terezija Pavlič, Nikola Todović, učenci, učiteljski zbor in tehnično osebje OŠ 8 talcev Logatec, Irana Uranič, Mirko in Marija Uranič, Janko in Kristina Uranič, Marija Urbas, Robert Verlič, Maruška Vidovič, Peter Virant, Anja Vrdlovec, Sebastjan Weber, Lidija Zajec, Rudi Zaman, Lucija Zlodej in Srečko Šorli, Anton Zobec, Domen Zupan, Klemen Zupan, Monika Žagar, Julija Žerovnik, Maja Žerovnik, Uroš Žerovnik, Miloš Žvan, Rafko Žerovnik

Together with Bojana, we hope that in February 2022, with the help of local residents and SPLA North freedom fighters, we will finally reach another war zone that we have been trying to infiltrate—unsuccessfully and without compensation—for the past five years. This place is Kauniaro, located on the eastern side of the mountains, where in the 1970s Leni Riefenstahl photographed the people for her book The People of Kau. I visited the area twice—first in 1998 by bicycle, and again in 2015 with American Protestant missionaries. I witnessed how the local population, once among the freest people on Earth, were first persecuted by Islamic extremists and later by Christian zealots. The culture of archaic trance and ecstatic ritual is under even greater threat here than elsewhere in the mountains. We are currently preparing a documentary film about these experiences as well, and we warmly invite you to participate and support us through donations.