My Father’s Shadow

Set against the charged backdrop of Lagos in 1993, My Father’s Shadow follows two young brothers unexpectedly reunited with their estranged father on a single day that carries the weight of both personal and national uncertainty. British-Nigerian filmmaker Akinola Davies Jr. weaves intimacy and the rhythms of everyday life into a meditation on fatherhood, memory, and belonging, allowing quiet moments to open onto broader social and political resonances.

Blending tender observation with the textured sounds and streets of Nigeria’s largest city, the film reflects on how relationships are shaped by absence and presence, personal histories and collective hopes. Premiering in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival to critical acclaim, My Father’s Shadow marks Davies Jr. as a vital new voice in contemporary cinema. (Bethan Hughes)