OMEN
Film - CineRebels Competition Filmfest 2023

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Directed by Baloji

Info

Director: Baloji
Section: CineRebels Competition
Country: Belgium, Germany, France, Netherlands, South Africa, Democratic Republic of Kongo
Year: 2023
PT: AUGURE
OT: AUGURE
Language: English, French, Lingala, Lingala, Swahili
Version: Original version with English subtitles
Cast: Marc Zinga, Lucie Debay, Eliane Umuhire, Yves-Marina Gnahoua, Marcel Otete Kabeya
18+ (no age rating)

Logline

A powerful debut film by Baloji, a Belgian-Congolese rapper, about the ongoing belief in witches and sorcerers in Africa.

Koffi is possessed. At least that's what his family believes. That's why they call him Zabolo, or "mark of the beast". Accompanied by his European fiancée, he returns to the place of his birth for the first time after years of being ostracized there. AUGURE poignantly explores the extent to which the beliefs of its four main characters, all of whom are accused of witchcraft and sorcery, influence their fate as they become caught up in the phantasmagoria of Africa.

Meet the director

OMEN

Baloji

Baloji was born in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo) in 1978 and grew up on the coast of Belgium. He started rapping in the early '90s and had his breakthrough as part of the group Starflam. He has since released four solo albums and directed countless music videos. His short film ZOMBIES received five festival awards, including the Award of Merit at the 2019 Global Shorts in Los Angeles and the Best Experimental Short Film Award at the 2020 Guanajato International Film Festival. AUGURE is his first feature film.

Credits

Screenplay: Baloji
Director of Photography: Joaquim Philippe
Film Editor: Bruno Tracq
Composer: Liesa Van der Aa
Production Designer: Eve Martin
Costume Design: Elke Hoste
Sound: Jan Deca, Erik Griekspoor, Danny Van Spreuwel
Make-up artist: Lila Vander Elst
Producer: Benoit, Roland
Production Company: Wrong Men, New Amsterdam
Co-Production Company: Serendipity, RadicalMedia, Special Touch Studios
World Sales: Memento International