'New voice' prize goes to Omen, directorial debut of Belgian musician Baloji
By Moira Jean Sullivan
Un certain regard 'new voice' prize goes to Omen, directorial debut of Belgian rapper Baloji
Omen (Augure), the first feature film by Belgian-Congolese musician and actor Baloji, won the “New Voice” prize in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival. The film screened May 22 with a rich visual language previously experienced in Baloji's music videos and heard in his electrifying four part masterpiece, the soundtrack for Augure.
This innovative directorial debut is the story of Koffi (Marc Zinga) who decides to return to his home in Lubumbashi in the Congo with his partner Alice (Lucie Debay). Pregnant and expecting twins, Koffi's family do not welcome them. Koffi was rejected by his mother early in life because he showed signs of being a Zabola (Swahili: Magician) or demon. The film's poster features a Zabola in a haze of pink smoke. Other actors in Omen are Eliane Umuhire as Tshala and Yves-Marina Gnahoua as Mama Mujila.
Balioji reveals that his father died in 2018 and professional mourners were hired for his funeral. He did not want the mourners to cry for him yet his tears became intertwined with theirs. Baloji has said that this was the impetus for Augure and for eight weeks he was in a feverish state. Out of this experience, Omen was born.
The artist's film influences are electic: Barry Jenkins, Steve McQueen, the Safdie brothers, Sean Baker and Wes Anderson. From South America he lists Alexandre Landes and Alejandro González Iñárritu); from Spain Rodrigo Sorogoyen and Pedro Almodóvar and from South Korea Park Chan-wook. The Belgian musician grew up in Liège in a Sicilian neighbourhood and esteems the work of Antonioni, Fellini and Pasolini. All these fantastic filmmakers have paved the way for an outstanding new master in the world of cinema, introduced at the 76th Festval de Cannes.
Movie Magazine International
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