Goodbye Julia (2023) Plot Summary

In August 2005, a civil war between the Sudanese government and the southern Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) has recently ended, and SPLM leader John Garang has been made Vice President. Mona is a well-off Muslim housewife from northern Sudan who lives with her husband Akram in Khartoum. Julia is a poor Christian from the South who lives with her husband Santino and young son Daniel. When Garang’s death in a helicopter crash is announced, riots break out in the city, including Mona’s neighborhood. Julia’s family is evicted, and they move into a makeshift shelter. While driving nearby, Mona accidentally hits Daniel with her car and flees the scene, with Santino pursuing her on his motorcycle. Mona calls her husband Akram and says she is being chased by a Southerner. When Mona and Santino arrive at the house, Akram fatally shoots him. Distraught, Mona later confronts Akram for killing Santino, and Akram says it was self-defense.

Julia searches for Santino. When she cannot find him, she starts working as a street vendor. Mona locates Julia and hires her as a maid. When Julia is evicted again, Mona provides Julia and Daniel a room to live inside her home. Mona marks dishes with red nail polish to indicate which ones Julia can use. The two women talk to each other about their lives: Mona tells Julia that she was a singer until Akram made her stop; Julia tells Mona that she thinks Santino may have left her. Mona offers to pay for Daniel’s education at a private school, and Julia accepts. Later, Akram tells Mona that Daniel will not fit in at the private school. He tells Mona that she should have befriended a neighbor rather than a “slave”. Mona asks Akram not to use that word. He responds that Mona is racist too and that her relationship with Julia is not a friendship because Julia is her employee. Mona scrapes the red nail polish off the dishes.

The timeline jumps to December 2010. Julia meets Majier, an SPLM member, while he is speaking to a crowd about the need for a separate country for southerners. Julia takes Mona to her church. She is recognized by a choir member who convinces her to perform a song with them. Majier pursues Julia romantically. At his Christmas party, they kiss. He asks her to move to the south with him and offers to have his contacts investigate Santino’s disappearance. She declines and walks away from him.

Daniel, now 11 years old, is being bullied at school. When he discovers his father’s motorcycle in a neighbor’s possession, Mona tries to dissuade him from investigating further. He confides in Majier who comes to the house with armed SPLM members. Majier accuses Akram of killing Santino, and Julia tells Majier to stop. At Mona’s prompting, Akram apologizes. Majier slaps Akram in the face, says Julia does not deserve his love, and leaves. Akram and Mona argue about Santino’s death and their relationship, ending with Mona saying she wants to sing again and Akram telling her to move out.

The referendum on south Sudanese statehood passes with more than 98% of the vote. Julia and Daniel have moved out of Akram’s house. Mona finds Julia’s new place and asks her how long she had known the truth about Santino’s disappearance. Julia said she realized early on, having found Santino’s wallet in Akram’s house. Mona accuses Julia of taking advantage of her, and Julia says that she worked for Mona for Daniel’s sake and that Mona was exploiting her poverty. Mona lays her head on Julia’s lap, and Julia rubs her shoulder. In a montage, Julia and Daniel board a ferry flying the Sudanese and South Sudanese flags, Mona sings, and Majier drives a truck of soldiers. The final scene shows Daniel sitting in the front seat of the truck holding a rifle.