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My Father's Shadow

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97% Tomatometer 38 Reviews Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
The UK's Best International Feature Film entry to the 98th Academy Awards® and recipient of the Caméra d'Or Special Mention at Cannes, Akinola Davis Jr.'s MY FATHER'S SHADOW is a poetic, tender portrait of father-son bonds. Framed by the political landscape of 1993 Lagos, the film follows a father and his two young sons as they journey into and around the vibrantly rendered Nigerian metropolis, quietly reckoning with their relationship while navigating a city on the precipice of democratic crisis. Brothers and collaborators Akinola Davis Jr. and Wale Davies bring us a groundbreaking feature debut -- centering an award-winning performance by Sopé Dìrísù (Slow Horses, Gangs of London) -- that reveals the profound depths of what families leave unspoken.
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My Father's Shadow

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Critics Consensus

Weaving high-stakes political commentary with rich personal dynamics that are bolstered by Sope Dirisu's commanding performance, My Father's Shadow casts a highly promising light on feature-debut director Akinola Davies' future.

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Critics Reviews

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Jonathan Romney Financial Times 9h
4/5
The casting is inspired... And Dìrísù’s tender, thoughtful, strong presence — his face often framed in the tightest of close-ups — evokes Folarin’s virtues as a father and a man, as well as his imperfections. Go to Full Review Abiba Coulibaly Sight & Sound 10h
Akinola Davies Jr.’s debut feature about two brothers who join their father on a dizzying trip through Lagos is a beautiful blend of moral guidance, nostalgia and discovery. Go to Full Review Tara Brady Irish Times 1d
4/5
[My Father's Shadow] quietly marries personal and national histories, offering a deceptively sprawling portrait of Lagos, a family and the fragile, frantic ways people try to hold on against tyranny. Go to Full Review Mark Dujsik Mark Reviews Movies 6h
3.5/4
[The] feeling that this little getaway simultaneously is and isn't exactly what it seems to be ... is so strong that the entire film carries an emotional weight that might otherwise be too much to bear. Go to Full Review Hilary A White Irish Independent 9h
4/5
In his Cannes-winning feature debut, [Akinola Davies] has crafted something quite special, and nails that elusive trick of finding the universal in the particular. Go to Full Review Carla Hay Culture Mix Jan 11
My Father's Shadow makes an emotional impact not from melodrama but from showing the quiet steadiness of a father's guidance and love as he spends time with his two sons. The ending of the movie is jarring and unforgettable. Go to Full Review Read all reviews
My Father's Shadow

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Cast & Crew

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Akinola Davies

Director

Sope Dirisu

Folarin

Godwin Egbo

Actor

Chibuike Marvellous Egbo

Actor

Efon Wini

Bola

Wale Davies

Writer

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My Father's Shadow

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Movie Info

Synopsis The UK's Best International Feature Film entry to the 98th Academy Awards® and recipient of the Caméra d'Or Special Mention at Cannes, Akinola Davis Jr.'s MY FATHER'S SHADOW is a poetic, tender portrait of father-son bonds. Framed by the political landscape of 1993 Lagos, the film follows a father and his two young sons as they journey into and around the vibrantly rendered Nigerian metropolis, quietly reckoning with their relationship while navigating a city on the precipice of democratic crisis. Brothers and collaborators Akinola Davis Jr. and Wale Davies bring us a groundbreaking feature debut -- centering an award-winning performance by Sopé Dìrísù (Slow Horses, Gangs of London) -- that reveals the profound depths of what families leave unspoken.
Director
Akinola Davies
Producer
Rachel Dargavel, Funmbi Ogunbanwo
Screenwriter
Wale Davies, Akinola Davies
Distributor
MUBI
Production Co
British Film Institute, BBC Film
Genre
Drama
Original Language
British English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 21, 2025, Limited
Runtime
1h 34m