The film is produced by Amjad Abu Alala’s Station Films and co-produced by Ali Alarabi, CEO and founder of Ambient Light.
Mohamed Kordofani’s acclaimed Sudanese debut drama feature, Goodbye Julia, which earlier this year made history as the first Sudanese feature to screen at Cannes, has achieved yet another milestone with its release across the Gulf.
Released by MAD Solutions on December 7 in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and Bahrain, and on December 14 in the UAE across a total of 84 screens, the film has raked in an impressive $349,000 from 27,000 admissions. This achievement sets a record for a non-Egyptian or non-Saudi arthouse film in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), according to a report by Screen Daily.
Saudi Arabia accounted for 40% of the total box office takings, with 37 screens contributing to the success, while the UAE represented 30% of revenues from 27 screens. MAD Solutions collaborated with Vox Cinemas for the theatrical release of the feature, which was Sudan’s submission for the Oscars, though it did not make the recently announced shortlist.
Following a successful release in Egypt on October 25, where it topped the box office ahead of Martin Scorsese’s Killers Of The Flower Moon, Goodbye Julia has become the highest-grossing Arab film in Egypt, amassing nearly $100,000 (EGP3m) to date. The film is currently in its seventh week of release in France through ARP Selection, which opened it in 51 theatres.
Since its world premiere at Cannes, where it played in Un Certain Regard and won the Freedom Prize, Goodbye Julia has earned more than 20 awards at festivals, including El Gouna and Singapore.
Adding to its triumphs, Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o has joined the film’s team as an executive producer, showing her support for the impactful story.
Egyptian critic Mohamed Sayed Abdel Rahim revealed that Goodbye Julia has been selected to compete for the Best Non-English Language Film Award at the 2024 Golden Globe Awards.
Goodbye Julia unfolds the story of Mona, a retired northern Sudanese singer entangled in a tense marriage, haunted by guilt after covering up a murder. The film explores themes of redemption and forgiveness as Mona takes in the widow and son of the deceased, navigating the complexities of Sudan’s turmoil.
Starring Eiman Yousif, Siran Riak, Nazar Goma, and Ger Duany, Goodbye Julia is written and directed by Mohamed Kordofani and produced by Amjad Abu Alala, in collaboration with Mohamed Al-Omda. The film stands as a testament to the resilience of Sudanese cinema and the power of storytelling on the global stage.
