In the lead-up to the secession of South Sudan, Mona (Eiman Yousif), a well-to-do retired singer from the North, becomes complicit in hushing up the murder of a Southerner at the hands of her overtly prejudiced husband (Nazar Gomaa). Guilt-ridden about her role in catalyzing this turn of events, Mona hires the victim’s unknowing widow Julia (Siran Riak) as her live-in maid in a secret bid at making amends. Whilst a complicated friendship blooms between the two women, the threat of discovery looms ever-present.
Winner of the Un Certain Regard Freedom Prize, Mohamed Kordofani’s artfully composed drama made history this year as the first-ever Sudanese feature to play in Cannes. A sensitive and unflinching examination of the fraught relationship between Sudan’s Arab North and non-Arab South, Goodbye Julia weaves a thoroughly engaging tale of deceit and self-revelation, charting its protagonists’ gradual awakening to the social inequities and inherited legacy of racism that would motivate an entire nation to vote almost unanimously for its separation.
Freedom Prize, Un Certain Regard, Cannes 2023
A prizewinner in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section, Mohamed Kordofani’s well-performed deep cut into Sudan’s recent history unfolds like a morality thriller.
Variety
Media Partner
Eiman Yousif, Siran Riak, Nazar Goma, Ger Duany, Stephanos James Peter
Sudan
2023
Panorama
In Arabic with English subtitles
Graphic Violence, Racial Violence
Book Tickets
Indigenous & Community Access
Indigenous Access Tickets Community Access Tickets Ticket Donation Requests
Credits
Producer
Amjad Abu Alala, Mohamed Omda, Ali Alarabi
Screenwriter
Mohamed Kordofani
Cinematography
Pierre de Villiers
Editor
Heba Othman
Production Design
Issa Kandil
Original Music
Mazin Hamid
Director
Mohamed Kordofani
Mohamed Kordofani is a Sudanese filmmaker. His debut feature film, Goodbye Julia, won the Freedom Prize after its International Premiere at the Cannes International Film Festival. For his other works, he has also won the NAAS Award for best Arab film at Carthage Film Festival (JCC), The Jury Award at Oran International Arab Film Festival and The Arnone-Belavite Peligrini Award at FCAAA in Milan.
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
A Sad and Beautiful World
This Lebanese love story chronicles the romance between a level-headed businesswoman and a romantic restauranteur across several decades in wartorn Beirut. It's funny, charming, melancholy and you'll feel it all.
How to Divorce During the War
Screenwriter Vytus is left reeling when on successive days his wife demands a divorce and Russia invades Ukraine. Blazevicius' masterful feature emerges as an engrossing satire about virtue signaling, nationalism, good intentions, and survival modes.
Edie Arnold is a Loser + Q&A
Loaded with breakneck gags in the spirit of Scott Pilgrim, but with a distinctly female-centered point of view, Megan Rico and Kade Atwood's hilarious teen comedy hits VIFF Centre on its 16 city whistlestop North American tour. Filmmaker Q&A.
The Sun Never Sets
At the suggestion of her much older (divorced) boyfriend, Wendy (Dakota Fanning) takes a summer to reevaluate her life and date other people. She's reluctant at first, but then reconnects with an old flame... A gentle indie comedy from Joe Swanberg.
Hanging by a Wire
The Himalayas, Aug 22, 2023: a cable car bearing 8 passengers (six of them schoolkids) is left dangling 900 feet above the ground when two out of three cables snap. This nailbiting documentary recounts the increasingly frantic rescue attempts.