WOW FILM FESTIVAL
FILMS
OMEN (AUGURE)
Director: Baloji
Starring: Marc Zinga, Yves-Marina Gnahoua, Marcel Otete Kabeya, Eliane Umuhire Belgium/Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2023, 91’, French, Swahili with English subtitles
Koffi, a Congolese man from Belgium, confronts a chilly homecoming and ancestral shadows when visiting his hometown, Kinshasa. In Baloji's spellbinding directorial debut, family issues, cultural clashes, and enigmatic rituals unfold as Koffi contends with the stigma of being a "Zabolo" (the mark of the devil) with his white pregnant girlfriend in tow. Baloji's visionary storytelling makes Omen a visually intoxicating tale, masterfully navigating the boundaries of identity and spirituality in a modern African world.
"a truly beguiling, edgy and haunting cinematic work that blends magical realism with domestic drama and horror." — Awards Daily
"a visually striking, deeply compassionate, and memorable debut." — indieWire
New Voice Prize at Cannes Film Festival 2023
Aberystwyth Arts Centre: Wed 27/03, 5.45pm
