Having spent years in Belgium, a young Congolese man decides to return to his birthplace of Kinshasa. However, upon his return, a nosebleed is mistakenly interpreted as a curse, leading to his ostracization by his family and a struggle to reconcile with the culture of his homeland. Directed by Belgian rapper and filmmaker Baloji, this inventive Congolese drama explores the complexities of identity, culture, and belief. Winner of the New Voice Prize at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.

Reviews

‘The director’s gift for unpacking the way notions of witchcraft can function as fig leaves for trauma, combined with his obvious eye for costumes, lighting, and framing, make for a visually striking, deeply compassionate, and memorable debut.’
★★★★
Arjun Sajip, IndieWire