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In the current cinematic landscape, defined by a quest for memory and truth, Goodbye Julia emerges as a poignant testimony to Sudan’s turbulent history. Competing in the prestigious “Un Certain Regard” category at the Cannes Film Festival, where it garnered the Freedom Prize, the film is set to captivate cinema audiences this Wednesday.
The feature debut of Sudanese filmmaker Mohamed Kordofani has captured the Cannes public’s attention with its authenticity and narrative strength. Filmed against the backdrop of a conflict that has persisted for over six months, the film highlights the disastrous consequences of the war between the forces of General Abdel Fattah al-Burhane’s army and the Rapid Support Forces paramilitaries, led by General Mohamed Hamdane Daglo. With a tragic human toll of over 9,000 casualties and 5.6 million displaced and refugees, according to conservative UN estimates, the film is deeply rooted in harsh reality.
Goodbye Julia unfolds its narrative in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, beginning with a scene of chaos reminiscent of the tragic events following the 2005 death of John Garang, the southern Christian leader. The film then revisits the run-up to the 2011 referendum that led to the overwhelming vote for South Sudan’s independence.
Through the intertwined paths of two women—Mona, a northern singer forced to give up her career by her husband’s demands, and Julia, a woman from the impoverished South—the director sharply examines the social and ethnic divisions that split his nation. The film uncompromisingly probes the insidious racism between northerners and southerners, the constraints of tradition and religion, and the status of women—subjects addressed with rare boldness in Sudanese cinema.
Bringing this reality to the screen proved to be a challenge for Kordofani, who faced significant financial and logistical hurdles. “How to film amidst protests and riots?” he pondered, highlighting the difficulties of working in such an unstable environment. Nevertheless, the film crew adapted brilliantly to these unpredictable circumstances, demonstrating the resilience and ingenuity of cinema professionals in crisis situations.
Goodbye Julia is more than a cinematic work, it is a heartfelt outcry that resonates with the urgency of a people yearning for peace. The film prepares to offer audiences a rare glimpse into the realities of a country often unknown or misrepresented.
With AFP
