In OMEN, the feature debut from Belgian-Congolese artist and musician Baloji, Koffi, a young Congolese man, visits his native Kinshasa after living for years in Belgium. With his white fiancée Alice by his side, the return to his birthplace is troubled from the start, as his family members hold fast to old superstitions, heightened by his appearance and the passage of time. When he suffers a nosebleed during a meal, secrecy and sorcery erupt. With stunningly rich visuals, OMEN is a sensory experience, introducing a daring, imaginative, and visionary filmmaker. Belgium’s submission to the Academy Awards for consideration, OMEN premiered in the Un Certain Regard program at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won the New Voice Prize. Baloji in attendance.
Tickets: $20 Gene Siskel Film Center members and SAIC students, faculty, and staff / $25 general audiences. Followed by a reception with Belgian beer and bites hosted by Hopleaf.