Baloji’s ‘Omen’ Was Inspired By His Own Experiences
A supernatural folk-drama titled “Omen” will be directed by Belgian rapper and director Baloji.
The story is based on his own experiences as a European who was born in the Congo and explores the difficulties and emotions that come with having two cultures—one of his birth and the other of his adopted homeland.
The two main themes of the movie are witchcraft and magic.
Speaking to “The Hollywood Reporter,” Baloji said: “My name, Baloji, is a difficult name to live with because it means “sorcerer” in Swahili. It’s comparable to having the American name “devil.”
“I researched extensively about witchcraft and the history of witches in various cultures. My name originally meant “man of science” or “woman of science.” The closest English translation might be a healer, the speaker continued.
But when Christianity and the colonisers arrived, they gave the indigenous science a bad reputation and made it resemble black magic. Omen’s focus is on how tradition, language, religion, history, and personal identification all fit together to form one’s identity.
Baloji added that the movie was a hybrid of various artistic mediums that combined imagination and reality. According to him, the perception of his work is influenced by a variety of art genres, including visual arts, music, literature, and his own line of work as a musician.
According to “The Hollywood Reporter,” the story revolves around Koffi (Marc Zinga), a young Congolese man who currently resides in Europe with his white fiancée Alice (Lucie Debay). Koffi makes a trip to the Congo in an effort to repair his relationship with his family, especially his mother Mujila (Yves-Marina Gnahoua).
