British-Nigerian filmmaker Akinola Davies Jr. has transformed personal loss into one of the most acclaimed films of the year with My Father’s Shadow, a deeply autobiographical drama that intertwines family memory with a defining chapter in Nigeria’s political history.

The film, directed by Davies in his feature debut and written by his brother Wale Davies, imagines a day the brothers never had a full day spent with their father, who died when they were toddlers. With few real memories of him, the brothers built a fictional portrait shaped by fragments of recollection, family stories, and imagination.

Set in Lagos in 1993, My Father’s Shadow unfolds over a single day as two young boys unexpectedly reunite with their father, Folarin, played by Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù. He takes them into the city, offering moments of warmth and discovery that quietly reshape their understanding of him.

But the film’s backdrop is as significant as its intimate family story. The events take place during a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s history when a democratic election widely believed to have been won by Moshood Abiola was annulled by then-military ruler Gen. Ibrahim Babangida. As political tension grips the country, the boys’ fleeting reconnection with their father mirrors a nation’s fragile hope for democracy.

The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, becoming the first Nigerian film selected in the festival’s official lineup; a milestone for the country’s thriving but often underrepresented film industry. Its success has since extended to major international awards circuits, earning nominations from the British Independent Film Awards and recognition at the Gotham Awards.

Although produced as a British-Nigerian collaboration, the film was shot in Lagos, drawing heavily from the city’s texture and atmosphere. Much of the crew came from Nigeria’s film industry, reinforcing its roots in the country’s creative ecosystem.

At its core, My Father’s Shadow is both a personal and collective act of remembrance. For Davies, the project became a way of revisiting grief long thought resolved. In revisiting his father’s memory, he also captures a country suspended between promise and disappointment.

The result is a film that bridges generations telling a story about fathers and sons while reflecting on a nation’s unfinished journey toward democracy.

Source: APNews