Mohamed Kordofani’s highly decorated and acclaimed Sudanese drama “Goodbye Julia,” a timely morality tale set just before South Sudan’s 2011 secession, has been honored with top awards for Best Feature Film and Best Screenplay at the 8th edition of the Critics’ Awards for Arab Films. The awards ceremony will take place on Saturday at the Plage des Palmes in Cannes.
“The first Sudanese film to ever be featured in Cannes’ official selection, ‘Goodbye Julia’ premiered in Un Certain Regard last year. The film narrates the story of two women—one from the North and the other from the South—brought together by fate in a complex relationship. It attempts to reconcile differences between northern and southern Sudanese communities in the war-torn country.”
Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania’s hybrid docudrama “Four Daughters” received three awards, including Best Director for Ben Hania, Best Documentary, and Best Editing. The film addresses the challenges faced by an Arab mother dealing with Islamic radicalization and the romantic pursuits of her teenage daughters.
Jordanian first-timer Amjad Al Rasheed’s dark social comedy “Inshallah a Boy” earned the Best Actress Prize for Mouna Hawa and Best Cinematography for Kanamé Onoyama.
The awards are focused on Arab films that have been produced and premiered outside the Arab world in 2023. They are organized by the Arab Cinema Centre (ACC) based in Cairo and the winners are chosen through a voting process by 225 critics from over 70 countries. The recipients of the awards will be honored at the Plage des Palmes in Cannes on May 18.
