GOODBYE JULIA screening at 27 cinemas across UAE, ups its tally to 84 cinemas across GCC

release date December 25 2023

Mohamed Kordofani’s brilliant Sudanese drama GOODBYE JULIA — a laureate of the Cannes Film Festival's Un Certain Regard Freedom Prize — continues to make waves across the GCC, with the film finally releasing in the UAE on December 14th, screening at 27 theaters, bringing its tally across the GCC to a whooping 84 theaters.

The film is now available at VOX Cinemas Mirdiff City Center, Yas, Al Maryah Island, Nakheel The Palm, Mall of Emirates, Al Zahia City Center, Wafi, Ajman City Center, Al Jimi Mall, Al Hamra, Fujairah City Center, Mercato, Festival City, Deira City Center, Nation Towers, and Galleria.

It is also screening at Roxy Cinemas in Al Khawaneej, Dubai Hills, City Walk, and Box Park; Reel Cinema in Dubai Mall; Novo Cinema Megaplex; Cinepolis at Circle Mall; Star Cinemas at both the Flaghship Al Ghurair and Star Al Bawadi locations; and lastly CineRoyal Deerfields and Dalma Mall.

This UAE release follows GOODBYE JULIA’s immense success in Egypt and the GCC, as the film is currently enjoying its eighth week in Egypt, its sixth week in France, and its second week in 57 theatres across Saudi, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain, with multiple shows sold out in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.

Simultaneously, the film is set to be showcased at the sixth edition of the El Gouna Film Festival—which scheduled to run from December 14th to 21st— as part of the festival's Narrative Feature Film Competition, vying for El Gouna Golden Star Award and the Cinema for Humanity Audience Award. GOODBYE JULIA will be screened twice, with the first screening taking place on Saturday, December 16th at 6:30 pm in the Festival Plaza, and the second scheduled for Wednesday, December 20th at 9 pm in the Campus El Gouna Audimax.

Both screenings will be graced by the esteemed presence of the film's talented cast and crew.

Moreover, GOODBYE JULIA is currently enjoying even greater success in France, where it recently debuted in 51 arthouse theaters and is currently enjoying its fifth weekend run on 67 screens nationwide.

Since its historic commercial release in Egypt on October 25th, GOODBYE JULIA has recorded the highest revenues for an Arab film at the Egyptian box office, amassing over EGP 3m throughout its seven-week journey since then.

Most recently, the critically acclaimed also won an Audience Award at the Mostra De Cinema Arab, the top prize for Best Film at the 2023 Belfast Film Festival's International Competition, an Excellence and Best Actress Award at Canada's Muslim International Film Festival, as well as the Best Director and Best Leading Actress in a Debut Feature Film at the 18th Cyprus International Film Festival.

To further add to the film’s growing triumphs, Lupita Nyong'o — the Academy Award winner for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role for 12 YEARS A SLAVE — who’s most known for her role as Nakia in Marvel’s BLACK PANTHER films, announced that she has joined the film’s team as the film’s executive producer in direct support of the film and its impactful story.

Topping it all off, Egyptian critic Mohamed Sayed Abdel Rahim — who is a member of the 2024 Golden Globe Awards’ Voting Committee — recently revealed that the film has been selected to compete for the Best Non-English Language Film Award ahead of the shortlist’s announcement in December.

GOODBYE JULIA — which is Sudan's official submission for Best Foreign Feature at the 2024 Academy Awards — follows the story of Mona — a northern Sudanese retired singer in a tense marriage — who is wracked by guilt after covering up a murder. In an attempt to make amends, she takes in the deceased’s Southern Sudanese widow, Julia, and her son, Daniel, into her home.

Unable to confess her transgressions to Julia, Mona decides to leave the past behind and adjust to a new status quo, unaware that the country’s turmoil may find its way into her home and put her face to face with her sins.

GOODBYE JULIA stars Eiman Yousif, Siran Riak — the former Ms. South Sudan — Nazar Goma, and Ger Duany; is written and directed by Kordofani; and produced by Station Films’ acclaimed Sudanese filmmaker Amjad Abu Alala — the director of Sudan’s first-ever submission to the Academy Awards YOU WILL DIE AT TWENTY — in collaboration with producer Mohamed Al-Omda, who co-produced Yemen’s Berlin International Film Festival selection THE BURDENED.

Kordofani is a Sudanese filmmaker whose short film NYERKUK won the Black Elephant Award for Best Sudanese Film, NAAS Award for Best Arab Film at the Carthage Film Festival, Jury Award at the Oran International Arab Film Festival, and Arnone-Belavite Pellegrini Award at the FCAAA in Milan.