Published: July 05, 2023| 01:02 PM

A fateful encounter with consequences reminiscent of the classical tragedies of antiquity, and also the first Sudanese film to be awarded at Cannes. The gripping drama Goodbye Julia portrays the lives of two women against the backdrop of the simmering conflict between the Arab north and the Christian south of the country. The collapse of Africa’s largest state reflects the state of the women’s friendship, which is founded on a sinful secret. Director Mohamed Kordofani listed the film’s other firsts besides its Czech premiere. “This is my debut, the first film with two female leads and now we’re going to have the first public discussion about it,” he said before Tuesday’s screening.

Unexpectedly, the filmmaker put the first question to the audience, specifically to the Sudanese living in the Czech Republic. Did the film portray the situation in Sudan faithfully? “Yes, unfortunately. There’s no denying that,” was the answer. In the discussion after the screening, the director explained his position as the author. “For me, the film is a call for unity. Sudanese society has deep-rooted problems stemming from racism and prejudice, from the fact that we don’t respect each other,” he said and later revealed that one of the main characters was inspired by his own father.