My Father’s Shadow: Akinola Davies Jr.’s Emotional Tale of a Family Reunion in Nigeria (Cannes 2025 Highlights)

My Father’s Shadow premiered in May at the Cannes Film Fest series Un Certain Regard, where it became Nigeria’s first title in the official selection and earned Akinola Davies Jr. a Special Mention from the jury.

Grade: A- (**** out of *****)

My Father’s Shadow has been selected as the U.K.’s official Oscar submission for best international feature at the 98th Academy Awards.

The feature debut of Akinola Davies Jr. is a Yoruba, Naija-Pidgin and English-language film.

It was chosen to represent the U.K. by a special BAFTA selection committee.

My Oscar Book:

Starring Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù (“Slow Horses,” “Gangs Of London”) and introducing Godwin Egbo and Chibuike Marvellous Egbo, the film spans one day in the life of two young boys traveling with their estranged father from a small village in rural Nigeria to the bustling capital city of Lagos.

The journey takes place during the 1993 Nigerian election crisis, a time of historical upheaval and political unrest, signaling potential change.

The film was shot on location in Lagos and Ibadan, Nigeria by cinematographer Jermaine Edwards, with post-production taking place in London.

It was written by Wale Davies and co-written by Akinola Davies Jr., who previously collaborated on “Lizard,” which won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance 2021 and received a BAFTA nomination for best British short film.

Davies Jr offers a poignant meditation, and a tender act of communion with the past and its lost possibilities through a story that’s set on a single historic day in 1993, when two young brothers from the countryside accompany their father.

Sope Dìrísù, Wale Davies and Akinola Davies Jr. also act as executive producers.

Rendering an emotionally riveting performance, Sope Dìrísù is better known in England: Since 2020, he has starred as Elliot Carter in the series Gangs of London, and in 2022, he starred as the titular character in the period drama, Mr. Malcolm’s List.

“We are so excited to see the journey of this film unfold and for the film to resonate with audiences,” said the filmmaking team in a statement. “It is a film that is at once intimate and epic. Films open minds and build understanding, bringing different perspectives and experiences from all over the globe to the screen. We are so proud to be telling this Nigerian story and to sit alongside others in the international feature category that curate local to global stories, creating a diversity of storytelling that thrives through the power of collaboration.”

“My Father’s Shadow” is an Element Pictures (a Fremantle Company) production in association with Crybaby and Fatherland Productions. It is produced by Rachel Dargavel for Element Pictures and Funmbi Ogunbanwo for Fatherland Productions. Executive producers are Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe for Element Pictures, Eva Yates for BBC Film, Ama Ampadu for the BFI and Christian Vesper for Fremantle.

Alongside an ongoing festival run, “My Father’s Shadow” was released to critical and commercial success by FilmOne in Nigeria on Sep. 19 and is still playing in theaters there.

The U.S. and U.K. releases are set for Feb. 6, 2026, after limited qualifier in the U.S.

The final five nominees will be announced on January 22, 2026.