the symbolic connotation of lighting and color in the movie “Goodbye Julia” by Sudanese director Mohamed Kordofani

Abstract

The research aims to identify the symbolic signification of lighting and color in the movie Goodbye Julia by Sudanese director Mohammad Kordofani. Through an analysis of visual meanings, the research examines how lighting and color affect the movie’s scenes and reveals their symbolic and expressive role within the narrative. By tracing the significations of colors, it becomes clear that some colors symbolize joy, others sadness, some evoke hope, and others refer to regression. The research also distinguishes between warm and cold lighting.

The research followed several scientific approaches, including the descriptive-analytical approach and the semiotic approach. It concludes that lighting and color contribute to conveying the characters' internal conflicts, as evident in the scene where Santino is killed by Akram. Warm lighting highlights Mona's internal conflict between fulfilling her dream and complying with her husband's prohibition on her singing, while color shifts throughout the movie illustrate changes in Mona's personality. In addition, the study highlights the dialogue between Islam and art, pointing to Christianity's tolerance of art, as the director uses natural lighting and colors to emphasize the freedom that Julia breathed after South Sudan's separation from North Sudan.