A deeply personal story has etched its name into cinematic history at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
Akinola Davies Jr.’s debut feature, My Father’s Shadow, has become the first Nigerian film to enter Cannes’ official selection, screening in the Un Certain Regard section. The film, inspired by a question Davies and his brother Wale often asked — what if they had spent a day with their late father? — has emerged as one of the festival’s standout works.
Set in Lagos on a politically charged day in 1993, the film follows two young boys who unexpectedly spend time with their rarely seen father. Played by Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù, Folarin leads his sons through the city on a journey filled with memory, loss and discovery.
The script, first penned by Wale Davies in 2012, was a turning point for Akinola, who described crying upon reading it. The film weaves real memories with imagined ones, attempting to piece together a father they lost as toddlers.
Shot entirely in Lagos with a Nollywood crew, the film is rich in texture and atmosphere. “Point a camera at anything in Lagos, and it’s so cinematic,” Davies remarked. Nigeria’s first-ever national pavilion at Cannes was established in recognition of this groundbreaking moment.
Distributed by Mubi in North America, My Father’s Shadow not only affirms Davies as a rising voice in global cinema but also marks a cathartic return to grief and belonging. “It’s the confluence of memory, dream and hearsay,” Davies said, describing the film’s emotional core.
For Nigeria, this is more than a film premiere — it’s a moment of recognition, and a proud step onto the world stage.