ARABIAN SIGHTS

Goodbye Julia

MOHAMED KORDOFANI
Sudan, Egypt, Germany, France, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, 2023
121 minutes, Color

Set against the backdrop of Sudan's tumultuous final days as a unified country, Goodbye Julia follows the journey of a former singer haunted by guilt who seeks redemption by hiring the widow of a southern man as her maid while concealing her true identity. Directed by Mohamed Kordofani in his award-winning directorial debut, this poignant and intimate drama delves into themes of loss and forgiveness, subtly exploring the divisions between the people of North and South Sudan that led to the country's division in 2011. Premiering at the 2023 Cannes International Film Festival, Goodbye Julia made history as Sudan's first film to be selected, earning the Freedom Prize and a thunderous 10-minute standing ovation, cementing Kordofani's status as a compelling voice in African cinema.—Various sources

In Arabic with English subtitles