Eiman Yousif and Siran Riak in "Goodbye Julia."
"Cinema is the truth 24 times per second," said Jean-Luc Godard, advocating cinema's potential to move and concretely and materially reflect the human condition. It is with this same mindset that viewers might approach the film Goodbye Julia. Released in 2023, the first feature film by Mohammad Kordofani, a former aviation engineer and self-taught filmmaker, indeed sends a universal message and raises awareness about the oppression many communities face worldwide. Warmly acclaimed by the audience, it received excellent reviews from critics. It is also the first Sudanese film to be presented in the "Un Certain Regard" category at the Cannes Film Festival.
The story is set in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, following the death of John Garang de Mabior, the former leader of the South Sudanese rebellion who became the country's vice president, in a helicopter accident. It's an in-medias res beginning, immediately immersing the audience in the tense atmosphere of Sudan in 2005, a few years before the referendum that divided the country. At this stage, the stress and action are just starting. The film is riddled with revelations, anxiety, and secrets that threaten to explode at any moment. It’s not an easy watch, mainly due to its intensity which keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Kordofani says he chose to depict this specific era on the big screen because it represents, to him, a missed opportunity to reconcile Sudanese people who, instead of facing their past wrongs, were further divided. He laments the people's agreement to separate the south of the country (South Sudan separated from Sudan and gained independence on July 9, 2011, after a self-determination referendum held in January 2011 in which 98.83% voted for separation, Ed.). Through his film, the director also aims to denounce racism and prejudices passed down through generations among the northern Sudanese people and desires to raise awareness through his two protagonists.
Mona, from the North, played a major but indirect role in the tragic death of Julia's husband, who is from the South. She decides to hire her as a maid to alleviate her guilt, without revealing the truth behind her intentions. The parallels between Julia and Mona (played by Eiman Yousif and Siran Riak) are poignant; one is grieving and impoverished, and the other is consumed by her remorse and haunted by the atrocity of her actions. It’s a realistic and touching depiction of two different sides of Sudan.
In an interview with Afikra on YouTube, the director admits that he intended to raise awareness among audiences, regardless of their origins, but especially those from Sudan, to convince them to unite.
An image from "Goodbye Julia" by Mohammad Kordofani.
The dreamt reconciliation between the North and South
"A stupid and emotional decision, why couldn't you have asked my permission first?" scolds Akram, Mona's husband, in a reaction that quite well summarizes their relationship. He is possessive and strict, depriving her of freedom and initiative, which pushes her to find comfort in her new friend Julia. Their relationship evolves: in 2005, it was strictly an employer/employee dynamic, but over the years (until 2010), they become true friends and accomplices. They symbolize the reconciliation between North and South, not without its adventures.
All in all, Goodbye Julia is a brilliantly written melodrama, with heart-wrenching acting and a touching plot. However, it struggles a bit to integrate the story into a larger political context beyond the perspective of its protagonists. Above all, the film tells the story of the separation of Sudan and South Sudan, including the associated class, religion, and ethnic group divisions. Yet, this work perhaps focuses too much on the domestic dramas and secrets of Mona, her husband Akram, and their maid Julia. Therefore, it’s not necessarily the film to watch if you want to academically and collectively learn about Sudanese history, but rather the story of the feelings and emotional consequences of the conflict on an individual scale.
This article originally appeared in French in L'Orient-Le Jour.
