‘Goodbye Julia’ takes top prize at Critics Awards for Arab Films

Mohamed Kordofani’s Goodbye Julia has won best film at the 8^th Critics Awards for Arab Films, which will celebrate its winners in Cannes today.

The film, which was the first from Sudan ever selected for Cannes where it premiered in Un Certain Regard last year, also picked up best screenplay for feature debut writer/director Kordofani.

Tunisian documentary-drama hybrid Four Daughters secured three awards: best director for Kaouther Ben Hania, best documentary and best editing for the work of Qutaiba Barhamji. The film also played at last year’s Cannes, winning the Golden Eye for director Ben Hania, and secured an Oscar nomination for best documentary feature.

A further multiple winner was Amjad Al-Rasheed’s Jordanian feature Inshallah A Boy, which picked up best actress for Mouna Hawa and best cinematography for Kanamé Onoyama.

The 8^th edition of the awards focussed on Arab films that were produced and premiered outside of the Arab world in 2023. Overseen and run by the Cairo-based Arab Cinema Centre (ACC), it was voted on by 225 critics from more than 70 countries and the winners will be celebrated at the Plage des Palmes in Cannes this evening.

This year’s edition introduced a new category for best short, which was won by Morad Mostafa’s I Promise You Paradise. Further winners included Amin Bouhafa’s Saudi feature Hajjan, which won for best music.