My Father's Shadow

My Father's Shadow is a 2025 drama film directed by Akinola Davies Jr., in his feature length film debut, from a screenplay he co-wrote with his brother Wale Davies. Starring Sope Dirisu, it follows a family reunion during the 1993 Nigerian election.^[1][2]

My Father's Shadow
Directed by	Akinola Davies Jr.
Written by	Wale Davies Akinola Davies Jr.
Produced by	Rachel Dargavel Funmbi Ogunbanwo
Starring	Sope Dirisu
Cinematography	Jermaine Edwards
Edited by	Omar Guzmán Castro
Music by	Duval Timothy CJ Mirra
Production companies	Element Pictures Fatherland Productions BBC Film BFI Crybaby
Distributed by	Mubi
Release date	18 May 2025 (2025-05-18) (Cannes)
Running time	94 minutes
Countries	United Kingdom Ireland Nigeria
Language	English

The film had its world premiere at the Un Certain Regard section of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival on 18 May 2025,^[3] where it won the Special Mention for the Caméra d'Or. It is the first ever Nigerian film to be selected for the festival's Official Selection.^[4]

Premise

Set against the backdrop of the 1993 Nigerian presidential election, two young brothers spend a day in Lagos with their estranged father.^[5]

Cast

• Sope Dirisu

• Godwin Chiemerie Egbo
• Chibuike Marvellous Egbo

Production

The film is produced by Element Pictures and directed by Akinola Davies Jr. from a script he co-wrote with Wale Davies. It is produced in association with Crybaby and Fatherland Productions. It was developed by BBC Film, who were a co-financer, and the BFI. Producers are Rachel Dargavel for Element Pictures and Funmbi Ogunbanwo for Fatherland Productions.^[6]

The Davies brothers developed the idea for the film over more than a decade, drawing inspiration from the loss of their father when they were both very young. In 2012, Wale wrote the first draft of the script, which centers on two brothers spending a day in Lagos with their father on the day of Nigeria’s historic 1993 presidential election, widely regarded as a turning point in the nation’s contemporary history.^[7]

Principal photography took place in Lagos, Nigeria.^[8]

Cast and crew at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival

Release

The film had its world premiere at the Un Certain Regard section of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival on 18 May 2025.

The streaming service Mubi acquired distribution rights for North America, the U.K., Ireland, and Turkey in February 2025.^[2]

Reception

Early reviews following the film's premiere at Cannes from media such as Variety, Deadline Hollywood, The Guardian, IndieWire, and Screen Daily were widely favorable. ^{[9][10][11][12][13]}