Omen-Augure a film by Baloji.

Augure, official name Omen is a 2023 international drama film directed by Baloji.

Baloji, born September 12, 1978 in Lubumbashi, is a Belgian-Congolese rapper, poet, fashion designer and film director of Congolese origin.

In Baloji's enchanting, polyphonic debut we follow so-called 'devil children' who, condemned from their social circles, engage in a fiery battle to throw off that label.

An energetic and empathetic film that explores the weight of Congolese belief systems.

His film 'Omen' tells the story of Koffi. Years ago, he was rejected by his mother in Congo because he showed signs of being a so-called zabolo. In Swahili, zabolo means sorcerer or magician, but in the bad sense of the word: the word refers to a demon or devil. Against his better judgment, Koffi decides to return to the city Lubumbashi with his girlfriend Alice, who is pregnant with twins, to introduce her to his family. However, the couple is not welcomed with open arms. And Koffi experiences first-hand how much ancient customs and persistent superstitions have a grip on daily life.

Witchcraft is an important source of inspiration in Baloji's work. In Swahili his name first meant "man of science", during the colonial times it changed to "man of occult sciences/sorcerer".

For the filmmaker, his loaded name is both a burden and a driving force for a playful approach in his broad artistic work. Augure fully embodies this duality and reinforces it through the choices in terms of costumes, soundtrack and editing. Thanks to the mixing of genres and sophisticated symbolism, Baloji creates phantasmagoric scenes of enchanting beauty that make Augure a more than memorable debut.

The film won the New Voice prize in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival in 2023.