Omen

The clash between tradition and modernity in contemporary Africa, brought to life by the Congolese-Belgian rapper Baloj in a magical-realist tone.

Koffi and his girlfriend Alice, who is pregnant with twins, live in Belgium. Both are about to embark on a trip to Koffi’s Congolese homeland, where they hope to receive the blessing of his extremely traditional family. Koffi, who hasn’t been back to Africa in years, practices Swahili and even gets rid of his afro. But in the end, nothing can really prepare him and his girlfriend for what awaits them. The director weaves this narrative thread with a number of other stories and perspectives to compose a broad social panorama. Small semi-documentary elements alternate with powerful, brightly colored sequences made up of images with a magnificent surreal quality. Director Baloji, who is also a designer, sometimes dresses up his characters in imposing costumes and lets them subvert conventional role models. All the while, Koffi begins to despair about his family’s superstitions.

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