It is after years of work and diligence, being able to reserve a place in Sudan, for the first time in its history, at the Cannes Film Festival.
In the “Debbie C” room of the Cannes International Film Festival in France, the event was Sudanese par excellence on Saturday, when the heroes of the film took the stage for the first time in the room to present the film which has was screened as part of the “Un Certain Regard” competition, considered one of the most important competitions of the Cannes Film Festival.
This photo of a group of young Sudanese dressed in the finest traditional clothes was a special address for Sudan’s defiance and insistence on moving forward despite the war conditions still beleaguering it.
Since the announcement by Cannes Film Festival executive director Terry Fremon of the list of films that will form the competition program for the festival’s 76th session “from May 17 to 27, 2023”, attention has focused on on the film “Goodbye Julia” as one of the most important films expected this year.
The drums of war were beating
The story of the film revolves around the story of a Sudanese singer, married to a rich man in Sudan.
The main roles in the film were played by theater actress and singer Iman Youssef, Sudanese actor Nizar Juma and actress and model Cyran Riak.
About the experience, the film’s producer, Amjad Abu El-Ela, speaks to Sky News Arabia saying:
This is the first time in the history of Sudanese cinema that we are taking part in the Cannes Film Festival. On a personal level, it was a special experience in my life. It was a dream come true thanks to the concerted efforts of Sudanese youth who love the seventh art. The film is an epic of hope and future amid the challenges of the political situation facing Sudan today. Achieving it in this way suggests that Sudan’s artistic future still exists and that tomorrow is bound to be better. Especially in light of the difficult circumstances the filmmakers faced, as Abu El-Ela explains. We shot in good conditions, despite the conditions of war and demonstrations. The war hadn’t broken out when we shot in December, but we had a feeling it would happen at any moment. The making of this film is a real and great adventure that we lived with determination, will and challenge.
A whole nation wants to divide
For the film team, the story of “Julia” and the details of the screenplay which tries to read the situation in Sudan from several historical, political and social angles are worth venturing, after the director of the work moved towards writing the screenplay for the film, influenced by the results of the 2011 referendum, in which around 100 people voted. 99% of voters support the secession of South Sudan.
Kordofani says that when the referendum results were announced, he felt that life had come to a standstill and something big had happened in Sudan.
In an instant, an entire nation announced that it wanted to divide.
In this way, the film attempted to address many sensitive issues plaguing Sudan, including tribalism, racism and prejudice.
Today, Amjad Abu El-Ela is considered one of the most prominent Arab filmmakers, having won as a director the “Lion of the Future” award at the “Venice International Film Festival” for his movie “You will die at twenty”.
Today, the Cannes Film Festival announces the birth of a promising director, named Mohamed Kordofani, who comes to cinema from the world of aviation.
Prior to directing this film, Kordofani directed several short films, including 2015’s “Gone and Never Returned” and “Nercok.”
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