Searing Sudanese drama well worth a watch
Goodbye Julia (M, 120 mins)
Directed by Mohamed Kordofani
Reviewed by James Croot
**** ½
South Sudan’s early 21st century struggle for independence from the rest of what was then Africa’s largest nation is the backdrop for this gripping tale of two disparate women. It begins in August 2005, as the Sudanese capital Khartoum reacts to the death of People’s Liberation Movement leader John Garang. As part of a recent peace accord, ending 22 years of civil war, he’d been appointed as the country’s First Vice-President, but now a helicopter crash had robbed the country of his calming influence.
For Muslim northerner Mona (Eiman Yousif), it means the streets are not safe, while Christian southerner Julia (Siran Riak) finds herself evicted and forced to live in a shantytown, along with her husband Santino (Paulino Victor Bol) and young son Daniel (Louis Daniel Ding).
It’s there that their lives collide, when a diversion caused by rioting leads Mona directly into the path of Daniel. The disappointment of a cancelled jazz concert replaced by the fear that husband Akram (Nazar Goma) will find out about her intended attendance, a moment’s inattention sees her clip the boy. While he’s merely stunned, Santino witnesses the event and – when Mona fails to acknowledge what she’s done and then speeds off – he gives chase.
Panicked by the pursuit, Mona calls Akram, who urges her to head straight home, where he’s waiting with a shotgun.
When Santino fails to stop, Akram takes him down and then, with the help of a neighbour friendly with local police, the death is covered up.
But as Julia and Daniel frantically search for him, guilt starts to weigh on Mona. Seeking them out, she first buys a boatload of Julia’s street-vended comestibles, before offering her a job as a maid. While this assuages some of her feelings of remorse, Mona finds her web of lies constantly needing to grow, especially when Daniel discovers Santino’s wallet.
A prize-winner at last year’s Cannes and acclaimed at film festivals, Bahrain-based Sudanese film-maker Mohamed Kordofani’s assured debut delivers plenty of tensionfilled and thought-provoking drama. His intimate, domestic approach to wider events reminds one of the work of Iran’s Asghar Farhadi (A Separation, A Hero), as does his creation of fully-rounded flawed characters. This is a tale where no-one is blameless and everyone has secrets and agendas. It makes for engaging, engrossing viewing, as you speculate and even urge, particularly Mona, to do the “right thing”.
Fashion model Riak is striking in her first film role, but it’s singer-turned-actor Yousif who truly compels.
Symbolism is everywhere in Goodbye Julia, from the opening ticking clock going nowhere to a conversation between husband and wife that’s shot as if it’s taking place in a confessional. Throw in haunting lines like “loving you is one thing, trusting you is another” and this is a tale not easily forgotten.
In Sudanese Arabic with English subtitles, Goodbye Julia is in select cinemas nationwide.