Nigeria’s first-ever Cannes Film Festival selection is set to commence viewing across cinemas nationwide. My Father’s Shadow was directed by British-Nigerian filmmaker Akinola Davies Jr as his first feature-length project. And now it’s set to debut locally on September 19, 2025 and will be distributed by Film One.
The film started its journey in February 2025, with a distribution rights acquisition by MUBI, a global streaming service. This spanned across North America, the UK, Ireland, and Turkey. And then an Un Certain Regard section at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival in May 2025. It also broke history when it won the Special Mention for the Caméra d’Or, during the festival.
My Father’s Shadow was co-written by Davies Jr. and his brother Wale Davies. The duo previously won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance 2021 and a BAFTA nomination for the short film Lizard. Shot across Lagos, the film channels the city’s energy, threading Yoruba, Pidgin, and everyday street names into its story.
The feature is set against the backdrop of the 1993 Nigerian presidential election. It tells the story of two young brothers, Remi and Akin, who spend a day in Lagos with their estranged father, Folarin. The cast includes English actor Sope Dirisu as the father, real-life brothers Godwin Chiemerie Egbo and Chibuike Marvellous Egbo as the young brothers. Other faces include Uzoamaka Aniunoh and Winifred Efon.
Produced by Rachel Dargavel and Funmbi Ogunbanwo. My Father’s Shadow is a collaboration between Element Pictures, Crybaby, and Fatherland Productions, with funding from BBC Film and the British Film Institute.
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