In the pre-colonial era, baloji meant “man of science” in Swahili, but the word became corrupted by Christian evangelists during the years of Belgian colonial rule. Today it is more akin to a man of occult sciences and sorcery.

“Some people of faith do not dare to say my name in public for fear of invoking evil spirits and the suspicions that may accompany it,” the director says. “In such animistic culture it is equivalent to being called devil or demon in the West.”

The film centers on Koffi, played by Marc Zinga (“Tori and Lokita,” “Dheepan”), a Belgian who returns to his native Congo to make peace with his estranged family, while struggling to navigate the traditions of his ancestral land.

The feature is produced by Belgian company Wrong Men (“Zero Fucks Given,” “Annette”).

It was a turning point for the artist, who received letter from his estranged mother in Congo. The start of rapprochement with his birth country, which would inform his music and shape his aesthetic.

Despite flourishing hip-hop career, Baloji was gradually drawn to cinema. In  2012, he had three scripts in development, but “it was very difficult to get funding,” he says, and all three projects died on the vine.

He self-financed four short films that explored “hybrid forms of presentation,” including his 2019 breakout “Zombies,” a futuristic short set in dystopian Kinshasa that played at the London film festival and was awarded at Clermont-Ferrand.

Now, with his feature debut premiering at the most prestigious film festival, Baloji is ready to reinvent himself — and seize the spotlight again. “When you are labeled as musician, it means you’re not a movie director. Everybody puts you in a box,” he says. “It took time for the industry to recognize me.”