What brings together a civil servant who loves raising pigeons, a tea seller in a working-class neighbourhood, a political activist, a paramedic who treats protesters, and two children who work collecting empty bottles? At first glance, very little. But all are from the Sudanese capital Khartoum, and they share both a deep love for their homeland and a dream of returning one day to the country they fled. This is the story woven by five directors in their documentary film “Khartoum.”
From hope to pain. Most of the countries rocked by the Arab Spring uprisings experienced the trajectory: a popular movement achieves some success and sparks dreams of a bright future, then a shocking reality that turns those dreams into nightmares. But Sudan’s experience has been particularly painful for many reasons, most horrifically the country’s transformation into an arena for a bloody civil war between two armed factions, crushing civilians’ right to safety and a decent life.Yet Sudan’s crisis has its own unique nature, one that is deftly portrayed in the documentary “Khartoum.” The film was screened for only the second time globally at the Berlinale’s Panorama Dokumente competition, following its premier two weeks previously in the international category of the Sundance Film Festival.
The film is a collective work made by five directors, four of whom—Anas Saeed, Rawia Alhag, Ibrahim Snoopy and Timeea M Ahmed—traced the narrative threads for particular protagonists, while the fifth, Phil Cox, tied those threads together in a single film.
The distinctively Sudanese element, which the documentary brilliantly reveals, is the intimacy of the relationship between the Sudanese people and their country. While most people of course love their homelands, “Khartoum” echoes an impression given by any Sudanese person you are likely to encounter—one of pride and longing for their country, despite its faults and their many complaints. Yet in order to save themselves, all the characters in the film ended up fleeing their country in search of security and peace.
A Human Mix
A civil servant who loves raising pigeons, a tea seller in a working-class neighbourhood, a political activist, a paramedic treating protesters, and two children who work collecting empty bottles: the characters seem completely different from each other. Yet they were brought together by a popular uprising, then scattered into exile with the outbreak of civil war. Nevertheless, the most important things connecting them are the things they have in common: their reverence for their city and their desire to relive their beautiful memories there.The film’s directors engage in an artistic dialogue with the characters, encouraging them to reenact their memories in front of a green screen, then reshaping those scenes through visual effects. All revolve around ordinary daily activities. There is nothing exceptional in the lives of these people except their overwhelming love for Khartoum, and their firm belief that they will return to it one day.
None of this means that they live in emotional isolation from their new communities in Cairo, Nairobi, or the other cities that now host them. What the film highlights, between the lines, is their ability to adapt to life in new situations and to form friendships in the cities to which they have been displaced, without severing their emotional bonds of communication with their beloved hometown.
The Narrative Value of Fun
While a synopsis of the film might evoke a normal documentary about Sudanese people who took part in a revolution and were then forced to leave the country, the value of “Khartoum” lies in the ability of its makers to go beyond the expected path of the characters, embarking into a broader space of experimentation and fun.That fun does not understate the human tragedy that has hit that millions of Sudanese, but rather confirms that this humorous spirit, which mocks hardships and clings to sweet moments, is the people of Khartoum’s main weapon against death, displacement and depression.
“Khartoum” is a film with maturity and depth, made with a cheerful spirit that generates a smile from the heart of suffering. It is an important, creative documentary about an issue that has long preoccupied the world. Its five directors have done a great job of reminding the world of the tragedy that has befallen the people of Sudan.
February 2025