Goodbye Julia becomes first Sudanese screening in Cannes Un Certain Regard
This past weekend director Mohamed Kordofani shared his feature film debut with Goodbye Julia. Set amongst the turmoil of the leadup to the 2011 referendum in Sudan, the film follows the meeting of Julia and Mona and the troubles that ensue surrounding their dynamic. Goodbye Julia was included amongst the Un Certain Regard, becoming the first Sudanese film to be shown in the category.
With a heartfelt speech prior to the screening of his work, Kordofani expressed solidarity with the current turmoil that is happening in Sudan. Joining him on stage were cast members Eiman Yousif, Siran Riak and Ger Duany and producers Amjad Abu Alala and Mohammed Alomda, who worked alongside him to bring the project to life. Shot on location in Khartoum, the film captures a cultural authenticity that emphasises the characters and their respective stories. Equally as enthusiastic for this story to be told to a global audience, CAA media finance, along with Egypt-based producer Ali El Arabi’s Ambient Light Films, will be bringing the film to North America.
In a statement made about the film, Kordofani commented: “ Writing this film was part of a continuous effort to get rid of that inherited racism, motivated by a sense of guilt and a desire for reconciliation and a call for it, even if it seems late.”
The film follows a guilt riddled northern Sudanese retired singer Mona played by Yousif, who after helping cover up a murder takes in widow Julia, played by Riak, and her son. As a means to atone for her lies, she supports the two, naively unaware that the bubble she has created is not immune to the impact of the outside societal turmoil that brews in the world around her. Former aeronautical engineer Kordofani stepped into the filmmaking space with a wave of local creatives who aimed to capture the climate of the country. Other projects of the director include Kejers Prison, A Tour in Love Republic and Nyeruk, which won a number of awards, including the Jury Award at the Oran international Arab Film Festival.
Images courtesy of Festival de Cannes
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