The first feature film by the Belgian-Congolese director, actor and musician Baloji (45) will be the Belgian entry for the Academy Awards next year.
The film, known as Augure in Belgium and Omen abroad, will be up for the Oscar for Best International Film. The ceremony will take place on 10 March 2024.
The story centres on Koffi, a man who was rejected by his mother in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) because he showed signs of being a so-called zabolo – a Swahili word for a bad sorcerer or a dark magician.
Years later, Koffi returns to Congo to introduce his pregnant girlfriend to his family, but the visit does not go as hoped.
"I am delighted and proud to represent Belgium at the Oscars. Proud also of the story that is told, of the cultural significance. We have already come so far, it is a beautiful ode to resilience and perseverance," Baloji told VRT in a first response. "And now, to work!"
Numerous awards
Earlier this year, the film already attracted a lot of attention at the Cannes Film Festival, when – as the only Belgian film in the official selection – it won the "New Voice" prize in the "Un certain regard" side competition, which aims to programme daring and original work by little-known filmmakers.
In July, Omen also won the CineRebels competition at Filmfest Munich, which honours daring work by international directors, and also took home the award for Best African Film at the Durban International Film Festival in South Africa.
In August, Baloji won the "Valois" award for directing at the Francophone Film Festival of Angoulême in France. Additionally, the film was also recognised at the Sydney Film Festival in Australia, the International Film Festival Karlovy Vary in Czechia and the Sarajevo Film Festival in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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The film, cost €1 million and took 23 days to record, which happened in 18 different locations.
The film was produced by Wrong Men and received support from, VRT and RTBF, the Cinema Centre of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, screen.brussels, the Dutch Audiovisual Fund and the Federal Tax Authorities, among others.
Now, the film will be judged along with dozens of other submitted films by the Academy's Foreign Language Committee members. A shortlist of nine films will be drawn up on 21 December; five of those will be nominated on 23 January 2024.
In Belgium, the film will be released in cinemas on 15 November and will then be distributed internationally.
