• Home
• My Father's Shadow

Page

My Father's Shadow

• Summary
• How to watch
• News & features

❚ We may earn commission from links on this page. Our editorial is always independent (learn more).

Watch trailer

02:01

My Father's Shadow

Save

• Drama

• 2025
• Akinola Davies
• 93 mins
• 12A

Summary

Two young brothers explore Lagos with their estranged father during the 1993 Nigerian election crisis, witnessing both the city's magnitude and their father's daily struggles.

Ad

Powered By

IMDB

Review

A star rating of 4 out of 5.

James Mottram

Two young Nigerian brothers bond with their estranged father in this beguiling, Bafta-winning coming-of-age story, set in 1993. Living out in a village with their mother, siblings Aki (Godwin Chimerie Egbo) and Remi (Chibuike Marvelous Egbo) are shocked when their long-absent dad Fola (Sope Dirisu) returns, only to whisk them off to Lagos, where he is aiming to collect months of unpaid wages. There, they get to see the big city, at a time when political tensions are rising due to an impending and contentious presidential election. Debut director Akinola Davies, filming this semi-autobiographical tale from a script co-written with his brother Wale, creates a strong sense of place, his Lagos teeming with life, possibility and danger. Only subtly do we glimpse something of Fola's life apart from his boys, not least in a telling interaction with a waitress. But this is mostly a day-in-the-life film, in which these two boys come to realise the strengths and flaws of their father. Beautifully performed all round, this pulsates with energy and vibrancy.

imdb-square

7.3/10

How to watch

Loading

Streaming

• Sky Store

Credits

Cast

rolenameFolarinSope DirisuRemiChibuike Marvellous EgboAkinGodwin EgboYoung RemiAkerele DavidYoung AkinOwa Orire JeremiahBolaEfòn WiniCorridorOlarotimi FakunleEmekaGregory OjefuaAunty SeyiTosin AdeyemiNgoziMartha Ehinome

Show more

Crew

rolenameDirectorAkinola DaviesWriterWale DaviesProducerRachel DargavelProducerFunmbi OgunbanwoComposerCJ MirraComposerDuval TimothyDirector of photographyJermaine Canute EdwardsEditorOmar Guzmán CastroCastingShaheen BaigProduction designerJennifer AntiProduction designerPablo Anti

Show more

Details

Theatrical distributor

MUBI

Released on

2026-02-06

Languages

English | Yoruba

Formats

Colour

News & features about My Father's Shadow

• 
  
  Akinola Davies Jr on My Father's Shadow: "We don't see enough nuanced representations of fatherhood, especially Black fatherhood"
  
  Named as one of the BAFTA Breakthroughs for 2025, My Father's Shadow director Akinola Davies Jr chats to Pass the Mic about his feature film directorial debut and what its reception spells for his future.

• 
  
  BIFA 2025 nominations: Full list of nominees including Jennifer Lawrence's latest acclaimed film
  
  Akinola Davies Jr's widely acclaimed My Father's Shadow – which won't come to UK cinemas until next February – leads the BIFA nominations with 12 nods.

  Ad

• 
  
  BAFTA Film Awards winners 2026: Full list as One Battle After Another wins amid some surprise results
  
  The awards took place tonight at London's Royal Festival Hall.

• 
  
  Best films released in the UK this month: February 2026
  
  Highlights include Wuthering Heights, The Secret Agent and The Testament of Ann Lee.

• 
  
  Vera icon Brenda Blethyn picks up major award nomination for her emotional new film role
  
  Blethyn and her Dragonfly co-star Andrea Riseborough recieved a nod in the Best Joint Performance Category.

• 
  
  EastEnders director reveals "eye-opening" experience crafting special Nigel Bates episode – and his incredible resilience to land the job
  
  "It really taught me something."

• 
  
  BBC apologises after racial slur aired from BAFTAs audience member with Tourette syndrome - while political speech is edited down
  
  The incident had previously been addressed on stage by host Alan Cumming.

  Ad

• 
  
  Gangs of London star confirmed to lead dark new serial killer drama on Netflix
  
  The series comes from the superstar producers of Leave the World Behind and Rustin.

• 
  
  The BAFTA Film Awards have a great opportunity to differ from the Oscars in one key way
  
  A win for I Swear's Robert Aramayo in the best actor category would be a welcome shake-up in an awards season which risks becoming stale.

• 
  
  BAFTA Film Awards 2026 nominations: Full list revealed as One Battle After Another dominates
  
  There were also plenty of nominations for Sinners, Hamnet and I Swear.

• 
  
  Who will win at the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards? Edith Bowman reveals her picks of the nominees
  
  Bowman and Zeena Hill, the director of marketing for BAFTA's official screen partner Samsung Home Entertainment & Appliance, spoke exclusively to Radio Times about the upcoming awards.

• 
  
  Love Is Blind UK casting producer reveals efforts to bring everyone’s love stories to the screen
  
  "Love comes in different forms, different shells, and everyone can have their happily ever after."

• 
  
  How hidden powers shape everything you see in TV and film
  
  A peek behind the curtain of what goes into crafting the casts of some of your favourite shows and films.

• 
  
  I've watched 100 movies this year – these are the 25 actually worth your time and 5 I'd definitely avoid
  
  There has been no shortage of great films released already – with plenty more to come.

See more about My Father's Shadow

Ad

Ad

Ad