British-Nigerian filmmaker, Akinola Davies Jr., has made history at the Cannes Film Festival after his debut feature film, My Father’s Shadow, won a major jury prize, earning a standing ovation at the Grand Théâtre Lumière.
Davies Jr. was honoured before an audience of over 2,000 industry professionals, marking a significant milestone for both his career and Nigerian cinema on the global stage.
The film had earlier broken new ground in May last year by becoming the first Nigerian production to be selected for screening in the official Cannes programme, a development widely regarded as a turning point for African cinema.
My Father’s Shadow was released in cinemas across the United Kingdom on February 6 and is scheduled to open in the United States on February 13, months after its Cannes triumph.
The semi-autobiographical drama, directed by Davies Jr. and written by his brother, Wale Davies, explores themes of loss, memory and fatherhood. British-Nigerian actor, Sope Dirisu, plays the lead role, drawing from the filmmakers’ personal experience of losing their father at a young age.
The project followed the brothers’ BAFTA-nominated short film, Lizard, released in 2020, and secured backing from BBC Films, Element Pictures and Fatherland Productions. The Nigerian-British co-production was filmed in 2024 with a largely Nigerian and diaspora crew.
Principal photography took place across Lagos and neighbouring locations, including Balogun Market, the National Theatre and Apapa Amusement Park, with production spanning two states. Producers described filming in Nigeria as challenging but essential to the story’s authenticity.
The film also featured young actors Chibuike Marvelous Egbo and Godwin Egbo, real-life brothers who played the sons of Dirisu’s character, marking their first on-screen appearances.
Set against the backdrop of Nigeria’s 1993 political crisis following the annulment of the presidential election by the military government of Ibrahim Babangida, the film weaves personal and national history into its narrative.
My Father’s Shadow premiered in Nigerian cinemas in September, attracting audiences in Lagos and Abuja. It has since screened at international festivals in Toronto, London and Busan, earning several nominations and awards.
Davies Jr. said the success of the film has underscored the importance of collaboration in filmmaking, noting that the project reflects the strength of collective effort within the creative community.
