Poster for Mohamed Kordofani’s GOODBYE JULIA drops ahead of film’s screening at Cannes

Poster for Mohamed Kordofani’s GOODBYE JULIA drops ahead of film’s screening at Cannes

Mohamed Kordofani’s drama flick GOODBYE JULIA — the first Sudanese picture and director to be selected for Cannes in history — released the poster of the highly-anticipated movie ahead of its scheduled world premiere at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival.

The movie's poster cleverly captures the heart of its message with a simple yet powerful image of the two main protagonists leaning on each other; a poignant reminder of how they support each other and the strained, yet precious ties they value.

GOODBYE JULIA follows the story of Mona — a northern Sudanese retired singer in a tense marriage — who is wracked by guilt after covering up a murder. In an attempt to make amends, she takes in the deceased’s southern Sudanese widow, Julia, and her son, Daniel, into her home.

Mohamed Kordofani

Unable to confess her transgressions to Julia, Mona decides to leave the past behind and adjust to a new status quo, unaware that the country’s turmoil may find its way into her home and put her face to face with her sins.

GOODBYE JULIA stars Eiman Yousif, Siran Riak — the former Miss South Sudan — Nazar Goma, and Ger Duany, is written and directed by Kordofani, and produced by Station Films’ acclaimed Sudanese filmmaker Amjad Abu Alala (the director of Sudan’s first-ever submission to the Academy Awards YOU WILL DIE AT TWENTY) in collaboration with Mohamed Al-Omda. Meanwhile, MAD Solutions is handling worldwide sales and distribution.

The film is also co-produced by Baho Bakhsh and Safei Eldin Mahmoud (Red Star Films), Michael Henrichs (Die Gesellschaft), Khaled Awad and Mohamed Kordofani (Klozium Studios), Marc Irmer (Dolce Vita), Faisal Baltyuor (Cinewaves Films), Ali El-Arabi (Ambient Light), Adham El-Sherif (CULT), and Issraa Elkogali Häggström (RiverFlower).

Previously, the film won several grants, including the Pitching Competition Prize at the New Directors New Films Festival and development grants from the Arab Fund for Arts & Culture and Malmö Arab Film Festival. It also participated in the Global Media Makers Program organized by Film Independent.

Moreover, it won four awards at the El Gouna Film Festival’s CineGouna Platform, including MAD Solutions’ distribution grant at the CineGouna SpringBoard, a certificate from the El Gouna Cinema Platform, the New Century Prize ($10,000), and the Mentorship Prize presented by IEFTA.

Kordofani is a Sudanese filmmaker whose short film NYERKUK won the Black Elephant Award for Best Sudanese Film, NAAS Award for Best Arab Film at the Carthage Film Festival, Jury Award at the Oran International Arab Film Festival, and Arnone-Belavite Pellegrini Award at the FCAAA in Milan.

His second short KEJERS PRISON was screened during the Sudanese revolution at the sit-in square in front of thousands of protesters, and his documentary A TOUR IN LOVE REPUBLIC was the first pro-revolution film to be broadcasted on Sudan's national TV.

His latest work THIS IS SUDAN was a film commissioned by Sudan’s former prime minister Abdallah Hamdok to promote Sudan's potential for investment.