Direction: Akinola Davies Jr.
Country: Nigeria / UK
My Father’s Shadow is a semi-autobiographical drama set over the course of a single day in Lagos, Nigeria, during the 1993 election crisis. Debut filmmaker Akinola Davies Jr., who co-wrote the script with his brother Wale, shoots the film on 35mm, lending the story a tactile emotional richness. The narrative follows brothers Akin (Godwin Chiemerie Egbo) and Remi (Chibuike Marvellous Egbo), aged eight and eleven, who leave their rural home to spend a day in Lagos with their often-absent father, Folarin (Sope Dirisu). Desperately attempting to recover unpaid wages from the factory where he works, Folarin navigates a city simmering with tension while gradually opening up to his sons, answering difficult questions and easing some of their unspoken pain.
My Father’s Shadow functions simultaneously as an abrasive political statement and an impressionistic childhood memory. Told largely through the perspective of the children, the film unfolds like an urban road movie punctuated by meaningful encounters, balancing discovery with melancholy in a graceful and deeply humane way. At its core, it becomes a quiet declaration of love—for both family and country.
Filmed with great empathy, the work is as visually captivating as it is emotionally resonant. The crisp editing and striking cinematography immerse the viewer in a warm yet bittersweet experience. Davies brings tenderness to an otherwise painful story, firmly establishing a distinctive cinematic voice in the process. Avoiding easy dramatic shortcuts, My Father’s Shadow builds its emotional power through subtle gestures and the poignant contrast between childhood innocence and the harsh political reality surrounding it.
A sublime first film for Davies, winner of a BAFTA and recipient of a special mention in Cannes’ Camera D’Or section.
