Utopia has acquired the North American rights to the Cannes Film Festival’s Un Certain Regard New Voice Prize winner “Omen,” the debut feature from artist-musician turned director Baloji.
The film follows a young man, Koffi, played by Marc Zinga (“Spectre”), who after spending years in Belgium returns home to the Congo to find himself confronted by his past and culture at a family event.
Koffi visits his birthplace after being mysteriously shunned by his family and spending years abroad in Europe. With his soon-to-be wife and unborn child in tow, Koffi’s arrival sets in motion a sprawling, nightmarish and psychedelic fairy tale about ancestry, belief, wrestling, witchcraft and sorcery in Africa today.
Director Baloji was born in Lubumbashi, Congo, in 1978, and was sent to live with his step family in Belgium when he was 3 years old. Separated from his birth parents, he had a troubled childhood and dropped out of school at 15. He later discovered hip-hop and rose to stardom via the influential Belgian group Starflam. He released his first solo album, “Hotel Impala,” in 2007.
That same year, Baloji received a letter from his estranged mother in Congo — a rekindling that opened the door for a reunion with his birth country.
“Omen,” which is a Belgian-Dutch-Congolese co-production, was written by Baloji and Thomas van Zuylen and produced by Benoit Roland for Wrong Men (“Tengo Suenos Electricos,” “Annette”). Other co-producers include Sander Verdonck for New Amsterdam and Emmanuel Lupia for Tosala Films.
The film co-stars Lucie Debay (“Our Men”) and Elaine Umuhire (“Neptune Frost”) along with Yves-Marina Gnahoua and Marcel Otete Kabeya.
Baloji said: “I’m so thrilled to be distributed in the U.S. by the Utopia fam and excited for the release of the film in theaters. Since the best reviews of the film came from U.S. publications I’m eager to continue an exchange with American audiences, to share my vision of cinema and to present Congolese’s culture and visual identity.”
Utopia head of content Danielle DiGiacomo added: “Spectacularly different from any other film at Cannes this year, ‘Omen’ marks the debut of a daring auteur who magically plays with the language of film, from its complex storytelling to its psychedelically bold presentation. Utopia is thrilled to continue its path of discovering new filmmaking talent, and can’t wait to stun audiences with Baloji’s vision.”
This deal was negotiated by DiGiacomo on behalf of Utopia and Mathieu Delaunay of Memento International on behalf of the filmmakers.
