Kordofani's Sudan Trilogy Sequel Heads to Rome's MIA Market

Mohamed Kordofani's second feature, About Love & September Laws, is being presented to partners at Rome's MIA Market, which runs October 19-23, according to Variety. The film is produced by Klozium Studios.

The project is the second installment in a planned trilogy about Sudan's modern history. Set in 1983, it follows Carter, an African American journalist in Khartoum, who reunites with an old friend, Nouri, an idealistic doctor, and falls for translator Fatin, Nouri's ex-wife. The plot turns on Sharia law being imposed in Sudan and Nouri facing a death sentence for refusing a court order to amputate a thief's hand.

The core creative team from Kordofani's debut, Goodbye Julia, returns, including co-producers Marc Irmer, Michael Henrichs and Issraa Elkogali, cinematographer Pierre De Villiers, editor Heba Osman, sound designer Rana Eid and co-writer Khaled Alwaleed. Klozium Studios was launched by Kordofani and co-founder Khalid Awad in 2020.

Kordofani said he is looking for partners to build a bridge to the United States, noting that the film has an American lead and is predominantly in English.

Earlier recognition

Goodbye Julia premiered in Cannes' Un Certain Regard sidebar and was the first Sudanese feature in the festival's official selection. Executive produced by Lupita N'yongo, it won the Un Certain Regard Freedom Prize plus 65 other international plaudits, including audience awards at El Gouna and Singapore, and struggled to break into the U.S. and U.K. markets.

In December 2025, About Love & September Laws won three prizes at the Red Sea Film Festival's industry Souk Awards. Kordofani won Variety's MENA Talent of the Year Award in 2023.